Ja’Marr Chase isn’t backing off his feelings about the Chiefs, but he is at least tipping his cap.
The Bengals receiver made it clear on a recent episode of Chasing No. 1 that Kansas City still sits at the top of his list of teams he can’t stand. When asked which NFL team he hates most, Chase didn’t hesitate.
"I think everybody know[s] K.C. But the reason why is because they knocked us out so many times," Chase said.
"But overall, they're a great team, you know what I'm saying? You just know when you play them, it's going to be a dogfight the whole game."
That’s a notable shift in tone from Chase, who has spent plenty of time in the past taking shots at the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes without much interest in handing out compliments. This time, though, the respect came through loud and clear.
And to be fair, the history between these teams gives Chase plenty of reason to feel the way he does. The Chiefs and Bengals turned into one of the league’s most heated matchups after Cincinnati beat Kansas City in the regular season in 2021, then stunned the Chiefs again at home in the AFC Championship Game to punch a ticket to Super Bowl 56.
The Bengals beat K.C. in the regular season again the next year, and the two teams met once more in the AFC title game. That time, the Chiefs got the upper hand, won the game and went on to capture Super Bowl 57.
That was the last stretch when the rivalry really carried real weight. Before that second AFC Championship Game, the Bengals were running their mouths plenty, even giving Arrowhead Stadium the nickname “Burrowhead” as they talked themselves into a trip back to the Super Bowl. Instead, Kansas City ended the run, and Cincinnati has not made the playoffs since.
The matchup has lost some of its edge since then. Joe Burrow was injured when the Bengals came to Kansas City in 2023, and the Chiefs won that game too.
They also took an early meeting in 2024. The teams didn’t play in 2025 because Kansas City had a first-place schedule and Cincinnati had a third-place schedule.
Still, the Bengals had reason to be paying close attention to the Chiefs in 2024. They needed Kansas City to win in Week 18 to help them get into the playoffs, and the Chiefs did them that favor by resting their starters and getting shut out by the Broncos. Bengals fans were not pleased.
Even with all of that baggage, Chase said the Chiefs still bring out the best in Cincinnati. "It's always close games, good games at the end of the day."
He’s right about that much. When these two teams line up, the game usually has a way of tightening up late. The next one comes in Week 14, and Chase has already made sure the Chiefs know exactly where they stand with him.
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For the Chiefs, the fit is easy to understand. They know Brown, they know what he can do when healthy, and they have a history of turning to players who already understand the system. The question is whether Philadelphia decides to move him at all, and if it does, how much of a return it would take to make a deal worth doing for a receiver whose recent production has been muted. [Read more 🡒]