Since theAmerican Football League (AFL) was established in1960, the Chargers and the Chiefs have shared the same division, first being the AFL Western Conference, and since theAFL–NFL merger, theAmerican 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. In recent seasons, Kansas City has dominated the rivalry with 18 wins in the last 21 meetings, including eleven straight wins in San Diego/Los Angeles.
Furthermore, the Chiefs are one of four NFL teams with a winning record against every division rival after 100 games played against each of them (along with theDallas Cowboys,Green Bay Packers, andMiami Dolphins). Conversely, the Chargers are one of only three NFL teams with a losing record against every division rival after the same number of games played against each of them (along with theDetroit Lions andNew York Jets).
The Chiefs lead the overall series, 71–59–1. The two teams have met once in theplayoffs, with the Chargers winning.[1]
Notable games
1960s
Season: 1960 (Week 1) Score:Dallas Texans 20–21Los Angeles Chargers[2] Notability: The first regular season game for both franchises. Dallas led 20–7 after three quarters, butJack Kemp ran for one touchdown and threw for another in a comeback win.[3]
Season: 1964 (Week 14) Score:Kansas City Chiefs 49–6San Diego Chargers[4] 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.[5]
1970s
Season: 1975 (Week 12) Score:San Diego Chargers 28–20Kansas City Chiefs[6] Notability: San Diego entered the game with an 0–11 record, but defeated the 5–6 Chiefs to avoid a winless season. They scored fourteen unanswered points in the final quarter; quarterbackDan Fouts was intercepted three times but scored the clinching touchdown on a 9-yard run.[7]
Season: 1978 (Week 11) Score:Kansas City Chiefs 23–29 (OT)San Diego Chargers[8] 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 foundJohn Jefferson in the back of the end zone for the game-winner as the last seconds ran off.[9]
1980s
Season: 1985 (Week 16) Score:San Diego Chargers 34–38Kansas City Chiefs[10] Notability:Stephone Paige broke the NFL single-season receiving yards record. Paige caught 8 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns – a 56-yarder fromTodd Blackledge and an 84-yarder fromBill Kenney.[a] Kansas City led 35–3 in the 2nd quarter and 38–13 early in the final quarter, before three unanswered Charger touchdowns left them just short of a comeback win.[12]
Season: 1986 (Week 7) Score:San Diego Chargers 41–42Kansas City Chiefs[13] Notability: The highest-scoring game in the series. The Chiefs scored three return touchdowns in the second quarter, twice on interceptions byLloyd Burress and once from a fumble recovered byKevin 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 kickerRolf Benirschke missed a 35-yard field goal in the final minute.[14]
1990s
Season: 1992 (Wildcard playoffs) Score:Kansas City Chiefs 0–17San Diego Chargers[15] 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 10–6 record to the Chargers' 11–5, hence the playoff game took place in San Diego.[16]
Season: 1998 (Week 3) Score:San Diego Chargers 7–23Kansas City Chiefs[20] Notability: RookieRyan Leaf produced apasser 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.[21]
2000s
Season: 2000 (Week 13) Score:Kansas City Chiefs 16–17San Diego Chargers[22] Notability: As they had done in 1975, the 0–11 Chargers beat the 5–6 Chiefs to end the prospect of a winless season. Leaf threw two touchdowns toFreddie Jones in the first half to put San Diego up 14–3, but had an interception run back for a touchdown in the second half as Kansas City came back to lead 16–14. Carney converted a 54-yard field goal with two minutes left, and San Diego won whenWarren Moon threw incomplete on 4th down.[23]
Season: 2001 (Week 8) Score:Kansas City Chiefs 25–20San Diego Chargers[24] Notability: QuarterbackDrew Brees, a futureSuper Bowl MVP, made his NFL debut for the Chargers afterDoug Flutie was injured. Brees entered the game 16–0 behind; the deficit became 19–0 before he led the Chargers to 20 unanswered points. Kansas City responded with a game-winningTony Richardson touchdown run in the final two minutes. Brees completed 15 of 27 passes for 221 yards, with a touchdown and no interceptions.[25]
Season: 2006 (Week 15) Score:Kansas City Chiefs 9–20San Diego Chargers[26] 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 total touchdowns to 31, while rushing 25 times for 199 yards, and scoring on runs of 15 and 85 yards.[27]
Season: 2008 (Week 15) Score:San Diego Chargers 22–21Kansas City Chiefs[28] Notability: The Chargers (5–8 entering the game) would have been eliminated from playoff contention with a loss, and Kansas City (2–11) led 21–3 in the 3rd quarter. The score was still 21–10 entering the final two minutes, butPhilip Rivers threw two touchdowns either side of a successfulonside kick, for a one-point lead. Chiefs kickerConnor Barth missed a 50-yard field goal as time expired, and San Diego eventually won the AFC West.[29][30]
2010s
Season: 2013 (Week 17) Score:Kansas City Chiefs 24–27 (OT)San Diego Chargers[31] 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 24–14 entering the final quarter. After the Chargers tied the game, Chiefs kickerRyan Succop had a chance to eliminate them, but missed a 41-yard field goal with 4 seconds left and San Diego won in overtime.[32]
Season: 2014 (Week 17) Score:San Diego Chargers 7–19Kansas City Chiefs[33] Notability: At 9–6, San Diego needed a win to make the playoffs against the 8–7 Chiefs, who had a small chance of qualifying. The Kansas City defense sacked Rivers seven times and intercepted him twice, and Chiefs tight endTravis 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.[34]
Season: 2016 (Week 1) Score:San Diego Chargers 27–33 (OT)Kansas City Chiefs[35] Notability: The Chiefs came back from 21 points down to win in overtime.Melvin Gordon scored twice as San Diego took a 24–3 lead with six minutes to play in the 3rd quarter, butAlex 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.[36]
Inaugural season for both franchises and theAmerican Football League (AFL). The Chargers and Texans are placed in the AFL Western Division, resulting in two meetings annually. Game in Los Angeles is the inaugural game for both franchises, which saw the Chargers overcome a 20–7 fourth quarter deficit. Texans record their first home win in franchise history. Last season until the2017 season the Chargers played as aLos Angeles-based franchise. .Chargers lose1960 AFL Championship.
In San Diego, Chiefs record their largest victory against the Chargers with a 43–point differential and score their most points in a game against the Chargers. Chargers lose1964 AFL Championship.
Due to the1982 NFL Players' strike, the game scheduled in San Diego was canceled. This remains the only season the Chargers and Chiefs did not face each other twice in a season.
In Kansas City, Chiefs' WRStephone Paige finished with 309 receiving yards, setting an NFL record for most receiving yards by one player in a game (broken byCalvin Johnson in2013).
Chiefs victory came on a last-second field goal by KLawrence Tynes, who had missed two kicks earlier in the game. It was also the Chargers' final regular season loss, as they went on to finish theseason on a 10-game winning streak.
In Kansas City, Chargers QBPhilip Rivers fumbled the ball while kneeling to set up the potential game-winning field goal, leading to a Chiefs game-winning field goal in overtime. Had they won this game, they would have won the AFC West; however, they ended up tied with theBroncos andRaiders, ultimately losing the tiebreakers to the Broncos.
In San Diego, Chargers clinch a playoff berth with their win. As of November 24, 2025, this remains the most recent season series sweep by the Chargers against the Chiefs.
In Kansas City, Chiefs overcame a 24–3 second half deficit. The 21-point comeback set a new Chiefs franchise record for largest comeback (broken in2019). Game in San Diego is the Chargers' final game as aSan Diego-based franchise.
Chiefs win nine straight meetings (2014–2018) In Kansas City, Chargers overcame a 28–14 fourth quarter deficit and won on a last-minute touchdown and two-point conversion. Both teams finished with 12–4 records, but the Chiefs clinched the AFC West based on a better division record.
^Braven, Dyer (September 11, 1960)."Chargers rally, win, 21–20".The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. pp. H1,H-3. RetrievedJanuary 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
