Having matched up four times over the past two seasons, including squaring off in the AFC Championship Game the last two seasons, it’s safe to say that the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs don’t like one another. The entire offseason players from each team have been taking indirect shots at one another. But the last few exchanges have been a little more direct.
In June, Chase called his quarterback Joe Burrow, not Patrick Mahomes, the best in the game. And that’s fine, but not to insinuate that you didn’t know who Mahomes was with a “Pat who,” response when asked who the game’s best signal-caller. Chiefs All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce quickly came to Mahomes’ defense calling Chase’s comments “a little disrespectful.”
Mahomes even chimed from the Chiefs Super Bowl ring ceremony, with a tweet showing his two rings, while saying “that’s who.”
Chase Adds New Layer To Rivalry
On Monday, Chase the 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year and 2021 second-team All Pro, appeared on the “Up and Adams Show” with Kay Adams and had this to say when asked about the rivalry and war of words.
“I’m excited for it. I can’t wait for it,” Chase said. “I don’t want to say too much, because we already had Mr. Kelce come back with something, so I must be under someone’s skin.
Chase then said the Bengals won’t stop talking because that’s what they do.
“Oh, we’re going to talk; we’re just not going to do it in the media,” Chase said. “There’s not a reason for that.”
Bengals Hold 3-1 Lead In Rivalry
While the Bengals hold the edge in the battle, having won three of the four matchups during the Burrow/Mahomes era, K.C. won the last matchup in January and then went out and won their second Super Bowl in four seasons.
The Bengals beat the Chiefs three times in a calendar year before KC broke through in January. Cincy won the previous AFC championship matchup in 2022, but lost the Super Bowl to the Rams.
The two teams meet in Week 17 of this season, and that will likely have some major playoff implications.
