Chargers-Chiefs Rivalry The Chargers–Chiefs rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Since the American Football League (AFL) was created in 1960, the Chargers and Chiefs have shared the same division. In recent seasons, Kansas City has dominated the rivalry. Furthermore, the Chiefs are one of only four NFL teams with a winning record against all division rivals after 100 games played against each (like the Dallas Cowboys, the Green Bay Packers, and the Miami Dolphins). Conversely, the Chargers are one of only three NFL teams with a losing record against all division rivals after the same number of games played against each (along with the Detroit Lions and the New York Jets). The Chiefs lead the overall series. The two teams have met once in the playoffs, with the Chargers winning. Notable Games 1960s Season: 1960 (Week 1) Score: Dallas Texans 20–21 Los Angeles Chargers Inaugural season for both franchises and for the American Football League (AFL). The Chargers and Texans were placed in the AFL West Division. Dallas led 20–7 after three quarters, but Jack Kemp ran for a touchdown and threw for another in a comeback victory. Season: 1964 (Week 14) Score: Kansas City Chiefs 49–6 San Diego Chargers Highlight: Kansas City's 43-point victory represents the largest margin of victory in the series. San Diego entered the game already having secured the division title, committing six turnovers. Len Dawson completed 17 of 28 passes for 220 yards, 4 touchdowns, and no interceptions. 1970s Season: 1975 (Week 12) Score: San Diego Chargers 28–20 Kansas City Chiefs Highlight: San Diego entered the game with an 0–11 record but defeated the Chiefs, who had a 5–6 record, to avoid a winless season. They scored fourteen consecutive points in the fourth quarter; quarterback Dan Fouts threw three interceptions but scored the decisive touchdown on a 9-yard run. Season: 1978 (Week 11) Score: Kansas City Chiefs 23–29 (OT) San Diego Chargers Highlight: Chargers win with a touchdown in the final second of overtime. San Diego reached Kansas City's 14-yard line near the end of overtime and nearly ran out of time when Fouts confused the play clock with the game clock. Fouts found John Jefferson deep in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds. 1980s Season: 1985 (Week 16) Score: San Diego Chargers 34–38 Kansas City Chiefs Highlight: Stephone Paige broke the NFL single-season receiving yards record. Paige had 8 receptions for 309 yards and two touchdowns – a 56-yard touchdown pass to Todd Blackledge and an 84-yard touchdown pass to Bill Kenney. Kansas City led 35–3 in the second quarter and 38–13 early in the fourth quarter before three consecutive Chargers touchdowns brought them within a game-changer. Season: 1986 (Week 7) Score: San Diego Chargers 41–42 Kansas City Chiefs Highlight: The highest-scoring game of the series. The Chiefs scored three return touchdowns in the second quarter, two on interceptions by Lloyd Burress and one on a fumble recovered by Kevin Ross; Leslie O'Neal added a touchdown return for San Diego in the same quarter. The Chargers outscored Kansas City in offensive yards 512 to 222, but still lost when kicker Rolf Benirschke missed a 35-yard field goal in the final minute. 1990s Season: 1992 (Wild Card Playoffs) Score: Kansas City Chiefs 0–17 San Diego Chargers Highlight: To date, the only playoff meeting between the teams. In rainy conditions, neither team scored in the first half. Marion Butts opened the scoring in the 3rd quarter with a 54-yard touchdown run, and the Chargers' defense completed the shutout. Kansas City had beaten the Chargers in both regular season games, but finished with a 10–6 record to the Chargers' 11–5, so the playoff game was held in San Diego. Season: 1995 (Week 6) Score: San Diego Chargers 23–29 (OT) Kansas City Chiefs Highlight: Tamarick Vanover scored the first punt return touchdown in overtime in NFL history. In a close Monday Night Football game, San Diego led 23–16 after a John Carney field goal with just over a minute remaining, before Steve Bono led a quick touchdown drive, forcing overtime. Vanover secured the victory in overtime by returning a Darren Bennett punt 86 yards for a touchdown. Season: 1998 (Week 3) Score: San Diego Chargers 7–23 Kansas City Chiefs Highlight: Rookie Ryan Leaf had a zero passer rating in his third start for the Chargers, having won his first two games. Leaf finished with 1 completed pass. 2000s Season: 2000 (Week 13) Score: Kansas City Chiefs 16–17 San Diego Chargers Highlight: Just like in 1975, the Chargers, with an 0–11 record, defeated the Chiefs, with a 5–6 record, ending the possibility of a winless season. Leaf threw two touchdown passes to Freddie Jones in the first half, putting San Diego ahead 14–3, but suffered an interception returned for a touchdown in the second half, allowing Kansas City to turn the game around to 16–14. Carney converted a 54-yard field goal with two minutes remaining, and San Diego won when Warren Moon threw an incomplete pass on fourth down. Season: 2001 (Week 8) Score: Kansas City Chiefs 25–20 San Diego Chargers Highlight: Quarterback Drew Brees, future Super Bowl MVP, made his NFL debut for the Chargers after Doug Flutie's injury. Brees entered the game trailing 16-0; the deficit reached 19-0 before he led the Chargers to a 20-point unanswered run. Kansas City responded with a game-winning touchdown by Tony Richardson in the final two minutes. Brees completed 15 of 27 passes for 221 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions. Season: 2006 (Week 15) Score: Kansas City Chiefs 9–20 San Diego Chargers Highlight: LaDainian Tomlinson broke the NFL records for rushing touchdowns (28) and points scored (186) in a single season. He also extended his record for total touchdowns in a single season to 31, while rushing 25 times for 199 yards and scoring on 15- and 85-yard runs. Season: 2008 (Week 15) Score: San Diego Chargers 22–21 Kansas City Chiefs Highlight: The Chargers (5–8 before the game) would have been eliminated from playoff contention with a loss, and Kansas City (2–11) led 21–3 in the third quarter. The score was still 21–10 with two minutes remaining, but Philip Rivers threw two touchdowns, one on each side of a successful short kick, for a one-point lead. Chiefs kicker Connor Barth missed a 50-yard field goal at the buzzer, and San Diego ultimately won the AFC West. 2010s Season: 2013 (Week 17) Score: Kansas City Chiefs 24–27 (OT) San Diego Chargers Highlight: San Diego needed a win or a tie to reach the playoffs. The Chiefs, who had already secured a playoff spot, rested many of their starters but still led 24–14 going into the fourth quarter. After the Chargers tied the game, Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop had the chance to eliminate them, but missed a 41-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining, and San Diego won in overtime. Season: 2014 (Week 17) Score: San Diego Chargers 7–19 Kansas City Chiefs Highlight: At 9–6, San Diego needed a win to reach the playoffs against the Chiefs, who were 8–7 and had little chance of qualifying. Kansas City's defense sacked Rivers seven times and intercepted two passes, and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce recovered a teammate's fumble in the end zone, helping the team open up a twelve-point lead. San Diego got into Kansas City territory on their last four drives but failed to score on any of them. Both teams missed the playoffs. Season: 2016 (Week 1) Score: San Diego Chargers 27–33 (OT) Kansas City Chiefs Highlight: The Chiefs rallied from a 21-point deficit to win in overtime. Melvin Gordon scored twice and San Diego opened up a 24–3 lead with six minutes remaining in the third quarter, but Alex Smith converted two fourth downs and threw two touchdowns, allowing Kansas City to tie the game. Smith ran for the game-winning touchdown on the first drive of overtime. He finished with 34 completions in 48 attempts, for 363 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Years 2020 Season: 2022 (Week 2) Score: Los Angeles Chargers 24–27 Kansas City Chiefs Highlight: Los Angeles and Kansas City played the first Thursday Night Football game broadcast nationally and exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. Season: 2025 (Week 1) Score: Los Angeles Chargers 27–21 Kansas City Chiefs Highlight: Los Angeles and Kansas City played in São Paulo, Brazil, broadcast exclusively for free on YouTube. Alex