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The Kansas City Chiefs come into the 2024 season with their sights set on the three-peat.
This means that their performance this year will need to be immensely better than in 2023, regardless of whether they win the Super Bowl.
Last season was full of ups and downs, specifically in the regular season.
Many players in the Kansas City squad admit that they only managed to turn the key to the playoffs in one of the remaining weeks before the preseason.
In fact, they had to be beaten by the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Day to realise that if they carried on like this, they wouldn’t be victorious.
Chiefs and Raiders, a historic rivalry
The rivalry between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders is one of the NFL’s most intense and historic matchups. Dating back to the late 1960s, when the teams were the Dallas Texans and the Oakland Raiders, this rivalry has been defined by its fierce competitiveness and dramatic encounters.
Both teams have a deep-rooted history, with the Raiders known for their rebellious image and the Chiefs for their tradition of excellence.
Their games often carry high stakes, adding to the intensity of their clashes.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the rivalry was particularly heated. The Raiders, led by figures like John Madden and Al Davis, dominated the league, while the Chiefs consistently challenged their supremacy.
These matchups were critical for playoff positions and division titles, making every game a battle for supremacy in the AFC West.
The cultural clash between the teams adds another layer to the rivalry. The Raiders’ “bad boys” image contrasts sharply with the KC’s disciplined approach.
A rivalry in which Las Vegas has been the loser
In recent years, the rivalry has been rejuvenated with both teams competing at a high level, but Kansas City has been on a better run for at least five years.
With Patrick Mahomes as their star quarterback, the Chiefs and the Raiders, with their own dynamic squad, continue to provide tight games.
The Chiefs lead the Raiders with a 73-55-2 record. In total, the teams have met 128 times and played in several finals, most of them won by the defending champions.
After the shameful Christmas defeat to LV, the provocations became more heated. In 2024, KC faces the Raiders on two occasions, October and November.
Recently, rookie Trey Taylor was filmed carrying a Kermit the Frog doll, who was wearing Patrick Mahomes’ number 15 jersey and had a similar haircut to the quarterback.
In the background, you can hear someone saying “I’m here! I’m here!”, in reference to the trash talk Mahomes delivered during the 30-29 win in 2022 against the Raiders.
Patrick Mahomes responded to the taunt
The teasing by the LV rookie is just another motivation for the Kansas City QB.
Mahomes really didn’t mind a puppet imitating him. He spoke about it at a press conference.
“It’s still early in the year. Stuff like that happens,” said. “It’ll get handled when it gets handled.”
He was then asked if any of his family or friends had shared the video with him.
“They don’t need to send me anything to keep me motivated”, claimed the three-time champion.
It is likely that the newcomer to the league will regret making fun of Patrick Mahomes in the near future…