The Kansas City Chiefs’ New Archenemies

Happy 4th of July… err… Independence Day, my fellow Addict fans! What better way to kick off this wonderful day than with some fireworks. Nothing gets my blood boiling and the inner-fireworks flaming more than thinking about who the Kansas City Chiefs’ archenemies are. Especially opponents who have defiled 🎶“… the home of the, C-H-I-E-F-S!!!!” 🎶

What could be more patriotic, right?

A few years ago, I presented you with the Greatest Chiefs Villains: Most Disliked Opposing Players. Over the course of the last year, it has occurred to me, many times over, that this list is changing and not just from an all-time list point of view. The Kansas City Chiefs now have a list of new archenemies.

So, without totally focusing on the all-time ramifications, here is a list that I’ve compiled, of the currently most disliked opposing players, new archenemies! Guys that if the Chiefs were the mafia would be on their hit list. But don’t worry ‘bout it, you’re takin’ me way too serious here, so put a sock in it. I’m just sayin’, these are dah guys dat need to be iced. Uh, you know whad I mean.

[Sorry that’s one of my alternate personalities kicking in. However, that part really does sound better if you read it with your best New Jersey accent. My apologies to anyone from Jersey.]

There are only two people left over from my original list — John Elway and Antonio Gates. Gates has done his team the great favor of taking an illegal performance enhancing substance and will miss the first four games of the 2015 season. Of course, he denies knowing that there were any illegal substances in the formulas he’s been taking for years now. Maybe the league should open an investigation. They can call it, “Gates-gate.” In any event, it is a doorway for other teams in the league to take advantage of the loss of a great tight end.

Antonio Gates

Antonio Gates has been a thorn in the side of the Kansas City Chiefs ever since he came into the league as a UDFA in 2003. In fact, over that same period of time, it would be difficult to think of another opposing player who has hurt the Chiefs — and their fans — more. Of course there’s the hurt he’s placed on the Chiefs that comes directly from his performance on game day. Then there’s the doubt he’s placed in some fans’ minds about who the best tight end ever really is.

I’d like to clear that up right here. Tony Gonzales ended his career with 15,127 yards receiving, which currently has him in 5th place among all wide receivers and tight ends.

Antonio Gate has 10,014 receiving yards, approximately 66 percent of Gonzo’s total.

Now, you can argue that Gates has only played 12 seasons while Tony finished with 17 years but it looks like Gate’s career is coming to a close and may only be around this year and maybe next. Any which way you choose to look at it, Antonio Gates is an archenemy.

Is Antonio Gates Archenemy No. 1 material? Gates has been an obstacle for a long time now… but No. 1? I don’t think so.

John Elway

John Elway has turned out to be a better general manager than I thought he would be. That’s just part of the problem I have with him. It was his presence that lured current quarterback Peyton Manning to Denver. Manning has been the major reason that the Broncos out-dueled the Chiefs in the past three years.

It was also John Elway who was the main reason Neil Smith changed alliances and went to Denver. Smith was one of the missing pieces for that defense but it was really running back Terrell Davis who gave those teams some balance by running the ball so incredibly well. I’ll never forget the 1997 season when the Chiefs went 13-3 and finished first in the AFC West but it was the 12-4 Wild Card Broncos who went on to win the Super Bowl. Kansas City split with Denver in the regular season but lost the playoff matchup, 14-10.

Four points. A measly four friggin’ points. That’s enough to drive any fan crazy who hasn’t seen a playoff victory in over 20 years now. That’s why John Elway will remain on the forever an archenemy list of the Chiefs.

Is John Elway Archenemy No. 1 material? It’s hard to think of anyone who has deserved that designation for a longer period of time so I’d say yes, he’s the guy on an all-time scale but perhaps not currently.

Next: An Archenemy in Denial?