Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase recognizes the importance of the team’s long-running rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But when comparing it with Cincinnati’s recent matchups against the Kansas City Chiefs, Chase said the Chiefs rivalry carries more weight for him.
Chase shared his perspective while speaking with reporters about the Bengals-Steelers matchup and where it stands among the rivalries he has experienced during his NFL career. He acknowledged that the Pittsburgh rivalry ranks highly, but stopped short of calling it his number one.
“It’s up there. I wouldn’t put a number one. I don’t have nobody number one, but it’s pretty up there,” Chase said.
When a reporter asked whether the Steelers rivalry was on the same level as Cincinnati’s clashes with Kansas City, Chase gave a quick answer: “No.”
Asked to explain the distinction, he emphasized that the Chiefs matchups ranked much higher for him.
“They’re way higher than that. Yeah, for sure,” Chase said.
His comments distinguish two different kinds of competition for Cincinnati. The Steelers are a divisional opponent with decades of shared history, while the Chiefs became a prominent postseason obstacle during the Bengals’ recent run toward the championship stage.
## Why the Chiefs rivalry stands out to Chase
The Bengals and Steelers have competed in the same division since the 1970 NFL merger, when the division was known as the AFC Central. It is now the AFC North. Their history includes numerous hard-fought games, playoff meetings and moments that have added tension to the rivalry over time.
Pittsburgh leads the all-time series 73-41, including postseason games. The Steelers also eliminated Cincinnati from the playoffs in 2005 and 2015, results that intensified the teams’ rivalry. Those games are part of the long-running history Chase acknowledged when he described the matchup as “pretty up there.”
Cincinnati’s results against Pittsburgh shifted during Joe Burrow’s early years with the team. The Bengals swept the Steelers in 2021, then advanced to Super Bowl LVI. That success added a new chapter to the divisional rivalry, although Chase’s remarks make clear that he separates it from the Bengals’ more recent battles with Kansas City.
The Chiefs matchup gained particular significance through two consecutive AFC Championship Game meetings. In the 2021 season’s championship game, Cincinnati overcame a 21-3 deficit and defeated Kansas City 27-24 in overtime. The following season, the Chiefs answered with a 23-20 win in the AFC Championship Game.
Those back-to-back games gave the Bengals and Chiefs a direct connection to the postseason pressure surrounding a championship run. The teams’ meetings were not simply divisional contests; they determined which side would advance to the Super Bowl. That high-stakes context helps explain why Chase places the Chiefs rivalry above Cincinnati’s longstanding matchup with Pittsburgh.
## Chase has a personal history against Kansas City
Chase’s view of the Chiefs rivalry is also informed by his individual performances against Kansas City. During his rookie season in 2021, he recorded 266 receiving yards against the Chiefs. That season included the Bengals’ overtime victory in the AFC Championship Game, one of the defining results in the team’s recent history.
For Chase, then, the two rivalries carry different significance. Pittsburgh represents a longstanding divisional opponent with a substantial series history and memorable playoff encounters. Kansas City represents a team Cincinnati faced in consecutive conference championship games, including a dramatic comeback win and a narrow defeat.
Chase did not dismiss the Steelers rivalry. He placed it among the important matchups of his career, while making clear that it does not match the level of the Bengals-Chiefs rivalry in his view. His comments reflect how recent postseason battles can shape a player’s sense of rivalry alongside the history shared by teams in the same division.
The Steelers remain a major opponent for Cincinnati, with decades of competition behind the matchup. But when Chase was asked to compare Pittsburgh with Kansas City, his answer was decisive: the Chiefs rivalry ranks higher for him.
