First meeting | September 10, 1960: Chargers 21âTexans 20 |
---|---|
Latest meeting | January 7, 2024: Chiefs 13âChargers 12 |
Next meeting | 2024 |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 128 (including the playoffs) |
All-time series | Chiefs: 69â58â1 (including the playoffs) |
Postseason results | Chargers: 1â0
|
Largest victory | Chargers: 31â0 (2010); Chiefs: 49â6 (1964) |
Longest win streak | Chargers: 6 (1979â81); Chiefs: 9 (2014â18) |
Current win streak | Chiefs: 5 (2021âpresent) |
Playoff and Championship Success | |
AFL Championships (4) (1960â1969)
Super Bowl Appearances (7) AFC Championship Game Appearances (8) AFL Western Division Championships (7) AFC West Division Championships (24) (1970-present)
AFL Wild Card Berths (2) (1960âpresent) AFC Wild Card Berths (12) (1970âpresent) |
The ChargersâChiefs rivalry is an American football rivalry between the National Football League (NFL)'s Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs. Since the American Football League (AFL) was established in 1960, the Chargers and the Chiefs have shared the same division, first being the AFL Western Conference, and since the AFLâNFL merger, the American Football Conference (AFC) West. Following the Raiders' move to Las Vegas (Chiefs) and the Rams' return to Los Angeles (Seahawks and 49ers), they are now the farthest apart two teams in the same division.
Kansas City is one of four teams with a winning record against all divisional opponents with 100-plus head-to-head games played (along with the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and Miami Dolphins). The Pittsburgh Steelers join those four in that category of 50-plus head-to-head games played. The Los Angeles Chargers are one of only three teams with a losing record against all divisional opponents with 100-plus head-to-head games played (along with the Detroit Lions and New York Jets). This holds as of the end of the 2022 season.
In recent seasons, Kansas City has dominated the rivalry with 17 wins in the last 20 contests. Kansas City also currently holds a ten game road winning streak against the Chargers.
Season: 1960 (Week 1)
Score:
Dallas Texans 20â21
Los Angeles Chargers
[1]
Notability: The first regular season game for both franchises. Dallas led 20â7 after three quarters, but
Jack Kemp ran for one touchdown and threw for another in a comeback win.
[2]
Season: 1964 (Week 14)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 49â6
San Diego Chargers
[3]
Notability: Kansas City's 43-point win represents the widest margin of victory in the series. San Diego came into the game having already clinched the division, but turned the ball over six times.
Len Dawson completed 17 of 28 passes for 220 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions.
[4]
Season: 1975 (Week 12)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 28â20
Kansas City Chiefs
[5]
Notability: San Diego entered the game with an 0â11 record, but defeated the 5â6 Chiefs to avoid a winless season. They scored fourteen unanswered points in the final quarter; quarterback
Dan Fouts was intercepted three times but scored the clinching touchdown on a 9-yard run.
[6]
Season: 1978 (Week 11)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 23â29 (
OT)
San Diego Chargers
[7]
Notability: Won by a Charger touchdown as time expired in overtime. San Diego reached the Kansas City 14 near the end of the extra period, then almost ran out of time when Fouts mistook the play clock for the game clock. Fouts found
John Jefferson in the back of the end zone for the game-winner as the last seconds ran off.
[8]
Season: 1985 (Week 16)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 34â38
Kansas City Chiefs
[9]
Notability:
Stephone Paige broke the NFL single-season receiving yards record. Paige caught 8 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns â a 56-yarder from
Todd Blackledge and an 84-yarder from
Bill Kenney.
[a] Kansas City led 35â3 in the 2nd quarter and 38â13 early in the final quarter, before three unanswered Charger touchdowns left them just short of a comeback win.
[11]
Season: 1986 (Week 7)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 41â42
Kansas City Chiefs
[12]
Notability: The highest-scoring game in the series. The Chiefs scored three return touchdowns in the second quarter, twice on interceptions by
Lloyd Burress and once from a fumble recovered by
Kevin Ross;
Leslie O'Neal added an interception return touchdown for San Diego in the same quarter. The Chargers went on to outgain Kansas City by 512 offensive yards to 222, but still lost when kicker
Rolf Benirschke missed a 35-yard field goal in the final minute.
[13]
Season: 1992 (Wildcard playoffs)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 0â17
San Diego Chargers
[14]
Notability: To date, the only playoff meeting between the teams. In rainy conditions, neither team scored in the opening half.
Marion Butts opened the scoring in the 3rd quarter with a 54-yard touchdown run, and the Charger defense completed the shutout. Kansas City had swept the Chargers during the regular season, but finished with a 10â6 record to the Chargers' 11â5, hence the playoff game took place in San Diego.
[15]
Season: 1995 (Week 6)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 23â29 (OT)
Kansas City Chiefs
[16]
Notability:
Tamarick Vanover scored the first overtime punt return touchdown in NFL history. In a close-fought
Monday Night Football game, San Diego led 23â16 after a
John Carney field goal with barely a minute left, before
Steve Bono led a quick touchdown drive to force overtime. Vanover won the game in the extra period when he took a
Darren Bennett punt back 86 yards for a touchdown.
[17]
[18]
Season: 1998 (Week 3)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 7â23
Kansas City Chiefs
[19]
Notability: Rookie
Ryan Leaf produced a
passer rating of zero in his third start for the Chargers, having won the first two. Leaf finished with 1 completion from 15 attempts, for 4 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. He also lost three fumbles and was sacked twice for the loss of 23 yards.
[20]
Season: 2000 (Week 13)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 16â17
San Diego Chargers
[21]
Notability: As they had done in 1975, the 0â11 Chargers beat the 5â6 Chiefs to end the prospect of a winless season. Leaf threw two touchdowns to
Freddie Jones in the first half to put San Diego up 14â3, but had an interception run back for a touchdown in the second half as Kansas City came back to lead 16â14. Carney converted a 54-yard field goal with two minutes left, and San Diego won when
Warren Moon threw incomplete on 4th down.
[22]
Season: 2001 (Week 8)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 25â20
San Diego Chargers
[23]
Notability: Quarterback
Drew Brees, a future
Super Bowl MVP, made his NFL debut for the Chargers after
Doug Flutie was injured. Brees entered the game 16â0 behind; the deficit became 19â0 before he led the Chargers to 20 unanswered points. Kansas City responded with a game-winning
Tony Richardson touchdown run in the final two minutes. Brees completed 15 of 27 passes for 221 yards, with a touchdown and no interceptions.
[24]
Season: 2006 (Week 15)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 9â20
San Diego Chargers
[25]
Notability:
LaDainian Tomlinson broke the NFL single-season records for rushing touchdowns (28) and points scored (186). He also extended his single-season record for tital touchdowns to 31, while rushing 25 times for 199 yards, and scoring on runs of 15 and 85 yards.
[26]
Season: 2008 (Week 15)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 22â21
Kansas City Chiefs
[27]
Notability: The Chargers (5â8 entering the game) would have been eliminated from playoff contention with a loss, and Kansas City (2â11) led 21â3 in the 3rd quarter. The score was still 21â10 entering the final two minutes, but
Philip Rivers threw two touchdowns either side of a successful
onside kick, for a one-point lead. Chiefs kicker
Connor Barth missed a 50-yard field goal as time expired, and San Diego eventually won the AFC West.
[28]
[29]
Season: 2013 (Week 17)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 24â27 (OT)
San Diego Chargers
[30]
Notability: San Diego needed a win or tie to make the playoffs. The Chiefs, who had already clinched a playoff berth, rested many of their starters, but still led 24â14 entering the final quarter. After the Chargers tied the game, Chiefs kicker
Ryan Succop had a chance to eliminate them , but missed a 41-yard field goal with 4 seconds left, and San Diego won in overtime.
[31]
Season: 2014 (Week 17)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 7â19
Kansas City Chiefs
[32]
Notability: At 9â6, San Diego needed a win to make the playoffs against the 8â7 Chiefs, who had a small chance of qualifying. The Kansas City defense sacked Rivers seven times and intercepted him twice, and Chiefs tight end
Travis Kelce recovered a teammate's fumble in the end zone to help them lead by twelve points. San Diego drove into Kansas City territory on their final four drives but failed to score on any of them. Both sides missed the playoffs.
[33]
Season: 2016 (Week 1)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 27â33 (OT)
Kansas City Chiefs
[34]
Notability: The Chiefs came back from 21 points down to win in overtime.
Melvin Gordon scored twice as San Diego took a 24â3 lead with six minutes to play in the 3rd quarter, but
Alex Smith converted two 4th downs and threw two touchdowns as Kansas City came back to tie. Smith ran for the winning score himself on the first drive of overtime. He finished with 34 completions from 48 attempts, for 363 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
[35]
Season: 2022 (Week 2)
Score:
Los Angeles Chargers 24â27
Kansas City Chiefs
[36]
Notability: Los Angeles and Kansas City played in the first Thursday Night Football game broadcast nationally and exclusively on
Amazon Prime Video.
Chargers vs. Chiefs Season-by-Season Results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1960s (Chiefs, 10â9â1)
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1970s (Tie, 10â10)
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1980s (Chargers, 12â7)
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1990s (Chiefs, 14â7)
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2000s (Chargers, 11â9)
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2010s (Chiefs, 13â7)
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2020s (Chiefs, 6â2)
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Summary of Results
|
Statistics limited to Chargers-Chiefs regular season games. Correct through 2021 season.
Chargers | Chiefs | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|
Passing yards | Philip Rivers â 7,504 | Len Dawson â 4,476 | [37] [38] |
Rushing yards | LaDainian Tomlinson â 1,488 | Larry Johnson â 724 | [39] [40] |
Receiving yards | Antonio Gates â 1,501 | Tony Gonzalez â 1,353 | [41] [42] |
Touchdowns | Antonio Gates â 17 | Stephone Paige â 10 | [43] [44] |
Sacks | Leslie O'Neal â 11+1⁄2 |
Tamba Hali â 13+1⁄2 Derrick Thomas â 13+1⁄2 |
[45] [46] |
Interceptions | Speedy Duncan â 5 | Johnny Robinson â 8 | [47] [48] |
First meeting | September 10, 1960: Chargers 21âTexans 20 |
---|---|
Latest meeting | January 7, 2024: Chiefs 13âChargers 12 |
Next meeting | 2024 |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 128 (including the playoffs) |
All-time series | Chiefs: 69â58â1 (including the playoffs) |
Postseason results | Chargers: 1â0
|
Largest victory | Chargers: 31â0 (2010); Chiefs: 49â6 (1964) |
Longest win streak | Chargers: 6 (1979â81); Chiefs: 9 (2014â18) |
Current win streak | Chiefs: 5 (2021âpresent) |
Playoff and Championship Success | |
AFL Championships (4) (1960â1969)
Super Bowl Appearances (7) AFC Championship Game Appearances (8) AFL Western Division Championships (7) AFC West Division Championships (24) (1970-present)
AFL Wild Card Berths (2) (1960âpresent) AFC Wild Card Berths (12) (1970âpresent) |
The ChargersâChiefs rivalry is an American football rivalry between the National Football League (NFL)'s Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs. Since the American Football League (AFL) was established in 1960, the Chargers and the Chiefs have shared the same division, first being the AFL Western Conference, and since the AFLâNFL merger, the American Football Conference (AFC) West. Following the Raiders' move to Las Vegas (Chiefs) and the Rams' return to Los Angeles (Seahawks and 49ers), they are now the farthest apart two teams in the same division.
Kansas City is one of four teams with a winning record against all divisional opponents with 100-plus head-to-head games played (along with the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and Miami Dolphins). The Pittsburgh Steelers join those four in that category of 50-plus head-to-head games played. The Los Angeles Chargers are one of only three teams with a losing record against all divisional opponents with 100-plus head-to-head games played (along with the Detroit Lions and New York Jets). This holds as of the end of the 2022 season.
In recent seasons, Kansas City has dominated the rivalry with 17 wins in the last 20 contests. Kansas City also currently holds a ten game road winning streak against the Chargers.
Season: 1960 (Week 1)
Score:
Dallas Texans 20â21
Los Angeles Chargers
[1]
Notability: The first regular season game for both franchises. Dallas led 20â7 after three quarters, but
Jack Kemp ran for one touchdown and threw for another in a comeback win.
[2]
Season: 1964 (Week 14)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 49â6
San Diego Chargers
[3]
Notability: Kansas City's 43-point win represents the widest margin of victory in the series. San Diego came into the game having already clinched the division, but turned the ball over six times.
Len Dawson completed 17 of 28 passes for 220 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions.
[4]
Season: 1975 (Week 12)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 28â20
Kansas City Chiefs
[5]
Notability: San Diego entered the game with an 0â11 record, but defeated the 5â6 Chiefs to avoid a winless season. They scored fourteen unanswered points in the final quarter; quarterback
Dan Fouts was intercepted three times but scored the clinching touchdown on a 9-yard run.
[6]
Season: 1978 (Week 11)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 23â29 (
OT)
San Diego Chargers
[7]
Notability: Won by a Charger touchdown as time expired in overtime. San Diego reached the Kansas City 14 near the end of the extra period, then almost ran out of time when Fouts mistook the play clock for the game clock. Fouts found
John Jefferson in the back of the end zone for the game-winner as the last seconds ran off.
[8]
Season: 1985 (Week 16)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 34â38
Kansas City Chiefs
[9]
Notability:
Stephone Paige broke the NFL single-season receiving yards record. Paige caught 8 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns â a 56-yarder from
Todd Blackledge and an 84-yarder from
Bill Kenney.
[a] Kansas City led 35â3 in the 2nd quarter and 38â13 early in the final quarter, before three unanswered Charger touchdowns left them just short of a comeback win.
[11]
Season: 1986 (Week 7)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 41â42
Kansas City Chiefs
[12]
Notability: The highest-scoring game in the series. The Chiefs scored three return touchdowns in the second quarter, twice on interceptions by
Lloyd Burress and once from a fumble recovered by
Kevin Ross;
Leslie O'Neal added an interception return touchdown for San Diego in the same quarter. The Chargers went on to outgain Kansas City by 512 offensive yards to 222, but still lost when kicker
Rolf Benirschke missed a 35-yard field goal in the final minute.
[13]
Season: 1992 (Wildcard playoffs)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 0â17
San Diego Chargers
[14]
Notability: To date, the only playoff meeting between the teams. In rainy conditions, neither team scored in the opening half.
Marion Butts opened the scoring in the 3rd quarter with a 54-yard touchdown run, and the Charger defense completed the shutout. Kansas City had swept the Chargers during the regular season, but finished with a 10â6 record to the Chargers' 11â5, hence the playoff game took place in San Diego.
[15]
Season: 1995 (Week 6)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 23â29 (OT)
Kansas City Chiefs
[16]
Notability:
Tamarick Vanover scored the first overtime punt return touchdown in NFL history. In a close-fought
Monday Night Football game, San Diego led 23â16 after a
John Carney field goal with barely a minute left, before
Steve Bono led a quick touchdown drive to force overtime. Vanover won the game in the extra period when he took a
Darren Bennett punt back 86 yards for a touchdown.
[17]
[18]
Season: 1998 (Week 3)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 7â23
Kansas City Chiefs
[19]
Notability: Rookie
Ryan Leaf produced a
passer rating of zero in his third start for the Chargers, having won the first two. Leaf finished with 1 completion from 15 attempts, for 4 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. He also lost three fumbles and was sacked twice for the loss of 23 yards.
[20]
Season: 2000 (Week 13)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 16â17
San Diego Chargers
[21]
Notability: As they had done in 1975, the 0â11 Chargers beat the 5â6 Chiefs to end the prospect of a winless season. Leaf threw two touchdowns to
Freddie Jones in the first half to put San Diego up 14â3, but had an interception run back for a touchdown in the second half as Kansas City came back to lead 16â14. Carney converted a 54-yard field goal with two minutes left, and San Diego won when
Warren Moon threw incomplete on 4th down.
[22]
Season: 2001 (Week 8)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 25â20
San Diego Chargers
[23]
Notability: Quarterback
Drew Brees, a future
Super Bowl MVP, made his NFL debut for the Chargers after
Doug Flutie was injured. Brees entered the game 16â0 behind; the deficit became 19â0 before he led the Chargers to 20 unanswered points. Kansas City responded with a game-winning
Tony Richardson touchdown run in the final two minutes. Brees completed 15 of 27 passes for 221 yards, with a touchdown and no interceptions.
[24]
Season: 2006 (Week 15)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 9â20
San Diego Chargers
[25]
Notability:
LaDainian Tomlinson broke the NFL single-season records for rushing touchdowns (28) and points scored (186). He also extended his single-season record for tital touchdowns to 31, while rushing 25 times for 199 yards, and scoring on runs of 15 and 85 yards.
[26]
Season: 2008 (Week 15)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 22â21
Kansas City Chiefs
[27]
Notability: The Chargers (5â8 entering the game) would have been eliminated from playoff contention with a loss, and Kansas City (2â11) led 21â3 in the 3rd quarter. The score was still 21â10 entering the final two minutes, but
Philip Rivers threw two touchdowns either side of a successful
onside kick, for a one-point lead. Chiefs kicker
Connor Barth missed a 50-yard field goal as time expired, and San Diego eventually won the AFC West.
[28]
[29]
Season: 2013 (Week 17)
Score:
Kansas City Chiefs 24â27 (OT)
San Diego Chargers
[30]
Notability: San Diego needed a win or tie to make the playoffs. The Chiefs, who had already clinched a playoff berth, rested many of their starters, but still led 24â14 entering the final quarter. After the Chargers tied the game, Chiefs kicker
Ryan Succop had a chance to eliminate them , but missed a 41-yard field goal with 4 seconds left, and San Diego won in overtime.
[31]
Season: 2014 (Week 17)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 7â19
Kansas City Chiefs
[32]
Notability: At 9â6, San Diego needed a win to make the playoffs against the 8â7 Chiefs, who had a small chance of qualifying. The Kansas City defense sacked Rivers seven times and intercepted him twice, and Chiefs tight end
Travis Kelce recovered a teammate's fumble in the end zone to help them lead by twelve points. San Diego drove into Kansas City territory on their final four drives but failed to score on any of them. Both sides missed the playoffs.
[33]
Season: 2016 (Week 1)
Score:
San Diego Chargers 27â33 (OT)
Kansas City Chiefs
[34]
Notability: The Chiefs came back from 21 points down to win in overtime.
Melvin Gordon scored twice as San Diego took a 24â3 lead with six minutes to play in the 3rd quarter, but
Alex Smith converted two 4th downs and threw two touchdowns as Kansas City came back to tie. Smith ran for the winning score himself on the first drive of overtime. He finished with 34 completions from 48 attempts, for 363 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
[35]
Season: 2022 (Week 2)
Score:
Los Angeles Chargers 24â27
Kansas City Chiefs
[36]
Notability: Los Angeles and Kansas City played in the first Thursday Night Football game broadcast nationally and exclusively on
Amazon Prime Video.
Chargers vs. Chiefs Season-by-Season Results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1960s (Chiefs, 10â9â1)
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1970s (Tie, 10â10)
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1980s (Chargers, 12â7)
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1990s (Chiefs, 14â7)
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2000s (Chargers, 11â9)
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2010s (Chiefs, 13â7)
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2020s (Chiefs, 6â2)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Summary of Results
|
Statistics limited to Chargers-Chiefs regular season games. Correct through 2021 season.
Chargers | Chiefs | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|
Passing yards | Philip Rivers â 7,504 | Len Dawson â 4,476 | [37] [38] |
Rushing yards | LaDainian Tomlinson â 1,488 | Larry Johnson â 724 | [39] [40] |
Receiving yards | Antonio Gates â 1,501 | Tony Gonzalez â 1,353 | [41] [42] |
Touchdowns | Antonio Gates â 17 | Stephone Paige â 10 | [43] [44] |
Sacks | Leslie O'Neal â 11+1⁄2 |
Tamba Hali â 13+1⁄2 Derrick Thomas â 13+1⁄2 |
[45] [46] |
Interceptions | Speedy Duncan â 5 | Johnny Robinson â 8 | [47] [48] |