Who is currently the Chiefs biggest rival in the AFC West?
2. Oakland / L.A. / Las Vegas Raiders
I am surprised teams haven’t learned that L.A. might not be the best spot for an NFL team but teams will keep trying, believing they are different. If one team was to capture L.A., it was the Raiders. The first thing that comes to mind is the Black Hole and the passionate (honestly scary) fans that inhabit it. The Raiders are a team that is just easy to dislike. From the seemingly constant dirty play to hiring a guy who looks like a murderous doll, they don’t help themselves.
The Chiefs and Raiders rivalry may be at the top of a lot of Chiefs fans list, for good reason, but they come in at No. 2 on mine. The fact they have been playing against each other since the AFL days in 1960 just adds to this bitter rivalry. The Chiefs hold the edge in the all-time record category winning 67-53-2, and with Mahomes at quarterback, I expect it to be even more one-sided for the foreseeable future. For an organization that has Derek Carr starting at quarterback, they still find a way to get under Chiefs fans’ skin and keep the rivalry flames stoked.
From the 1969 AFL Championship game where the Chiefs went on to beat the Raiders and eventually the Vikings to win Super Bowl IV to 2019 where the Chiefs were able to lift the Lombardi Trophy again, the Chiefs have been on top. The middle part is where the Raiders success came and where they hoisted three championships of their own.
Players who have intensified the rivalry include legendary running back Marcus Allen, who came to Kansas City after a public feud with the late Al Davis. Not only did Allen come to a bitter rival, but he actually wanted to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Chiefs even though the Hall of Fame doesn’t induct players based on team like in MLB. One move that hurt Chiefs fans was when Rich Gannon signed with the Raiders only to win MVP two seasons later. Ah, good old Elvis Grbac.
Kirk Morrison, former Raiders linebacker, explained the rivalry well when he was first selected in the draft.
"“In Oakland … the games you always really wanted to come see were the Niners and the Chiefs. You grew up hating red,” Morrison said. “It goes deep. It’s not just the teams. It’s the organizations, you know, which organization is better? These are two teams that played in the old AFL against each other. Most of the history goes back to it. They’ve been AFC West rivals for a very, very long time. It’s always been the must-win game.”"
From Andy Reid to Will Shields, almost everyone involved in this game always says it’s something different. It is something you feel that makes this rivalry so special.
As much as I thoroughly dislike the Raiders, I am somewhat saddened of their move to Las Vegas. Something about them moving seems to almost lessen the rivalry to an extent. The grotesque pictures of the Black Hole may no longer be prevalent at the new stadium and the crowd will be packed with tourists just like the Chargers are now.
While it may be easier for the Chiefs to go into Vegas without getting beer and profanities thrown their way, a bit of the pure hatred over the decades could be lost in the move. There is still a chance that Vegas will be a great breeding ground for black and white face paint and bad halloween costumes and that the OG Raiders fans will still make the trip. Without the fans, rivalries just aren’t the same.
Also, the fact that David Carr is an analyst and still is constantly trying to be a homer to the Raiders because of his brother is one of the most annoying parts of all.