ST. LOUIS – The Kansas City Chiefs are one win away from their fifth Super Bowl appearance in six years, a level of success that makes them about as close to a dynasty as any team in U.S. professional sports today.

How does St. Louis feel about that? Especially considering that much of the Chiefs’ reign in the same state has coincided without an NFL team in St. Louis, following the Rams’ departure nearly a decade ago?

In short, there’s no easy, one-fits-all answer.

Following various FOX 2 stories on St. Louis’ relationship with the Chiefs, including a thorough breakdown of common views ahead of last year’s Super Bowl and a new coin pendant that pairs the Gateway Arch with the Chiefs logo, it felt necessary to once again revisit St. Louis’ interest in the Kansas City Chiefs.

FOX 2 viewers weigh in

Earlier this week, FOX 2 posed the question on Facebook, “St. Louis football fans: How do you feel about the Kansas City Chiefs?” Unsurprisingly, there appear to be mixed feelings.

There’s some additional context behind some of these quotes that will be explained later into this article, but for now, here are some comments:

IN FAVOR OF THE KC CHIEFS

“After we lost the Rams, they became my new team,” says Scott.

“KC all the way and stay in Missouri,” says Chris.

“They’re my team until St. Louis gets another one,” says Dave.

“Love the Chiefs! Have since I was young. Even when they were bad,” says Susan.

“When the Rams deserted us, all our loyalty went to The Chiefs. And they have rewarded that choice and loyalty,” says Pat.

“We became Chiefs fans when the St. Louis [football] Cardinals left the market and will continue to be fans of the Chiefs for generations to come. We earned this Mahomes/Reid era,” says Angie.

“I like good football. The Warner, Bruce, Faulk years were great. Now I enjoy watching Mahomes, Kelsey, Jones and the guys. I still despise Kroenke,” says Rodney.

“As a former St. Louis Football Cardinals, Cardinals, Blues and former Rams fan, I have moved to the Chiefs (since the Rams left) and it’s been great. Arrowhead is a great place to see a game,” says Dean.

“They are good for the Missouri economy and good for football fans in Missouri. We need to keep a football team in Missouri, and I’d love to see an NBA team move here or an expansion happen,” says Tabatha.

“That’s my team. I started out young in life as a Cardinals football fan, then a Rams fan. After having two teams leave us, I’m a die-hard Chiefs fan now. Even if St. Louis gets another NFL team,” says Brian.

IN OPPOSITION OF THE KC CHIEFS

“Why anyone from STL has adopted them as their team, is beyond me,” says Darien.

“We’re in St. Louis. Not Kansas City. Anyone supporting a team who despises STL. Makes no sense. Chiefs notoriously hate STL,” says Casey.

“They are a big reason STL lost the Rams. We should not be supporting them, especially if you were a Rams fan,” says Maggie.

“I stuck with the Rams growing up because they were MY home team and I will not change that now,” says Lupe.

“Sure wish the Chiefs would support STL and bring a home game too the Lou, even a preseason game… Would be nice to have them show STL some love,” says Jeff.

“Who would’ve thought STL folk would ever root for a KC team… I’d be a Cubs/ Bears fan before I did that,” says Jimmy.

“St. Louis people switched up once they left and call the chiefs their team now since it’s in Missouri. As soon as the Chiefs start losing, they’ll find another bandwagon to ride,” says Munie.

“The Hunt family could have given STL a vote to keep the rams. Wouldn’t have changed anything, but they chose to go along with the NFL and approve the move. They spit in the face of STL with their vote,” says Hunter.

“I’m a former season ticket holder for both the Rams and Chiefs. The Hunt family was complicit in relocating the Rams to LA, so that they could expand their market. I don’t think I could ever support them after that,” says Randy.

“I really can’t get behind them. The NFL stole our team “TWICE.” Then tried to tell us to root for KC. After being screwed over two different times, I don’t want to invest more feelings to the NFL,” says Gary.

Other case studies and trends

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which cited data from viewership-tracking firm Nielsen, around 19.3% of the St. Louis market tuned in to CBS’ telecast of the Chiefs-Texans second-round NFL playoffs matchup last week, more than double the figure of last year’s best-rated St. Louis Cardinals baseball game (9.4%).

There’s also a Facebook page called “STL Chiefs” with around 4,000 followers that organizes various watch events and efforts to support the Chiefs in the St. Louis region.

Meanwhile, an Instagram page called St. Louis Starter Packs (@stlouisstarterpacks) recently introduced clothing and merchandise with support from The Morning After St. Louis sports radio show that reads “Anyone But The Chiefs.”

A complicated history

How much one from St. Louis chooses to invest in the Kansas City Chiefs may depend on how they view history that connects the two.

Lamar Hunt founded the Kansas City Chiefs in 1960 as an American Football League team around the same time the NFL’s Cardinals franchise relocated to St. Louis from Chicago. Before then, Lamar Hunt reportedly attempted to purchase the Cardinals and move them to Dallas, a move that could have drastically altered St. Louis football history. Reports also suggest that Hunt later threatened to block an AFL team in St. Louis if the Cardinals completed a move to Atlanta in 1964, an outcome that never came to be but reflected complicated dynamics of professional football in Missouri during that era.

Over the next several decades, the Chiefs merged from the AFL into the NFL and enjoyed up-and-down success. The Cardinals endured nearly three decades of mostly-mediocre football, then moved to Arizona after the 1987 season. Lamar Hunt and 25 other NFL owners approved the terms for relocation.

The NFL returned to St. Louis in 1995 with the Teams, who delivered a Super Bowl XXXIV championship in 2000 and several thrilling seasons before stumbling into decline. By 2016, the Rams moved back to Los Angeles, a decision supported almost unanimously by NFL owners, including Chiefs current chairman Clark Hunt.

The twists and turns in St. Louis football history involved some intertwined paths with the Kansas City Chiefs that ultimately continue to shape the landscape and views of professional football in Missouri.

As such, FOX 2 Sports Director Martin Kilcoyne once described three common trends when it comes to St. Louis and the Kansas City Chiefs. (Note: The video from 2023 attached above in this article)

1) There are locals who despise the NFL and mentions of the league since the Rams departed, ultimately not giving them motivation to cheer on the Chiefs.

2) There are fans who have embraced Chiefs culture, some even to a die-hard extent, that think more St. Louisans should get on board.

3) There are fans in a middle ground who understand the Chiefs’ recent success, but don’t want the Chiefs shoved down their throats just because they are in Missouri and share an Interstate 70 connection with St. Louis.

Up next

The Chiefs will host the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship matchup Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. CT, and your local CBS affiliate will carry the game broadcast.

While the Chiefs lost to the Bills (30-21 in Buffalo) earlier this season, Kansas City has won each of the last three head-to-head playoff matchups between the two AFC juggernauts.