Chiefs-Broncos Rivalry

Lore & Background

The Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs dominated the Broncos in the 1960s, the decade of the AFL, winning 19 of 20 games. The Texans won all six meetings in the rivalry's first three years before moving to Kansas City in 1963. The Broncos have responded since then, winning the series from the 1970s to 2000s. The Chiefs snapped this streak in the 2010s when they won 11–9. In the 2010s, Peyton Manning went 7–1 against the Chiefs as a member of the Broncos from 2012 to 2015. The Chiefs took control of the series after defeating the Broncos in 2015 in the final meeting with Manning at quarterback, beginning a 16-game win streak from 2015 to 2023. Until 2023, the Chiefs had gone 16–0 against the Broncos since Manning retired following the 2015 season, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes won his first 11 career starts against Denver. Combined, the two teams have won the last 14 AFC West Division titles from 2010 through the end of the 2023 season, and were the only teams to win the AFC West in the 2010s. The Chiefs lead the overall series, 73–59. The two teams have met once in the playoffs, with the Broncos winning.

In Their Own Story

The wind howls across the gridiron at Arrowhead or Mile High, carrying the scent of freezing air and charcoal smoke. A sea of red clashes with a wall of blue as flags snap violently in the gusts. In the tunnel, a veteran linebacker tightens his helmet tape, eyes locked on the field ahead where the stakes are absolute. This is more than a game; it is a visceral war for regional pride, played out in the shadow of the Rockies or beneath the flat Midwestern sky.

Reader's Guide

Notable moments include: September 17, 1990 – John Elway led a comeback win with a 22-yard field goal as time expired; October 4, 1992 – Elway threw two late touchdown passes for a 20–19 win; December 27, 1992 – Chiefs routed Broncos 42–20 to deny Denver a playoff berth; October 17, 1994 – Joe Montana threw a 5-yard touchdown pass with eight seconds left for a 31–28 Chiefs win; December 4, 1994 – Broncos won 20–17 in overtime after a blocked field goal; November 16, 1997 – Chiefs won 24–22 on a 54-yard field goal as time expired; January 4, 1998 – Broncos upset the No. 1 seed Chiefs 14–10 in the playoffs; October 5, 2003 – Dante Hall returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown in a 24–23 Chiefs win; November 14, 2010 – Broncos led 35–0 at halftime and won 49–29; September 17, 2015 – Broncos forced a fumble returned for a touchdown to win 31–24; November 15, 2015 – Chiefs won 29–13, holding Peyton Manning to 35 yards and four interceptions; November 27, 2016 – Chiefs tied the game with 12 seconds left and won in overtime.

Did You Know?

• The Dallas Texans won all six meetings in the rivalry's first three years before moving to Kansas City in 1963.
• Peyton Manning went 7–1 against the Chiefs as a member of the Broncos from 2012 to 2015.
• The Chiefs won 16 consecutive games against the Broncos from 2015 to 2023.
• The two teams have met once in the playoffs, with the Broncos winning.