Governor's Cup (Missouri)

Governor's Cup (Missouri)

Kansas City Chiefs St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) St. Louis Rams
First meeting	November 22, 1970 Cardinals 6, Chiefs 6
Latest meeting	September 3, 2015 Chiefs 24, Rams 17
Next meeting	None (Rams relocated back to Los Angeles for 2016 NFL season)
Statistics
Meetings total	11
All-time series	Chiefs lead Cardinals, 3–1–1 Chiefs lead Rams, 6–0–0
Largest victory	Chiefs (over Cardinals): 38–14 (October 2, 1983) Chiefs (over Rams): 49–10 (December 8, 2002) Cardinals (over Chiefs): 23–14 (November 23, 1986)
Current win streak	Chiefs: 6 wins (1997–2014)

The Missouri Governor's Cup was a trophy awarded to the winner of the football game between Missouri's two National Football League (NFL) teams. Originally played for between the Kansas City Chiefs and the St. Louis Cardinals, the last trophy in the original series was awarded in 1987 due to the Cardinals' move to the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area following the season. Beginning in 1996, the year after the St. Louis Rams relocated from Los Angeles, the Governor's Cup series was reinstated and was played from 1996–2015 in the preseason. The Rams would relocate back to Los Angeles in 2016. The trophy was also awarded to the winner of the interconference regular season matchups between the Chiefs and Rams. The local press occasionally referred to the game as The Battle of Missouri, The Show-Me State Showdown, or the I-70 Series.

History[]

1968–88[]

The contest began in 1968 when St. Louis had the football Cardinals^[1] until the Cardinals' relocation in 1988. The Governor's Cup game was resumed in the 1996 season between the Chiefs and the Rams until the Rams' relocation in 2016.

The Chiefs posted a 16–7–2 mark in its Governor's Cup series against the Cardinals from 1968 to 1987, going 3–1–1 in the regular season record and 13–6–1 in preseason play.^[2]

1996–2015[]

When the Los Angeles Rams relocated to St. Louis, the rivalry among Missourians re-emerged. Both the Rams and the Chiefs possessed the two most productive offenses in the NFL in the early 2000s, and the meetings often resulted in shootouts. Former Rams coach Dick Vermeil was hired by the Chiefs in 2001 after he had won Super Bowl XXXIV with the Rams with one of the NFL's most powerful offensive squads in history.

Once the Chiefs created their own high-powered offense with the arrival of Vermeil, the rivalry became even more exciting. In often meaningless preseason games, the Chiefs and Rams gave all their energy to secure the Governor's Cup, their spot as the best offense in the league, and bragging rights for their respective city in Missouri.

Dick Vermeil faced off against his old coaching buddies with the Rams - including his offensive coordinator of "The Greatest Show on Turf", Mike Martz, who succeeded Vermeil for the Rams head coaching job.

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Kansas City Chiefs[]

All-Time pre-season results[]

The Chiefs and Cardinals met every pre-season to determine the best NFL team in Missouri. The Chiefs lead the pre-season series 13–6–1.

The 1972 meeting was the first event in Arrowhead Stadium, which opened despite continuing construction.

All-Time regular season results[]

Note: The Governor's Cup was awarded between the Chiefs and the St. Louis Cardinals from 1968 through 1987, the Cardinals' final season in St. Louis.

The Chiefs won the regular reason series 3–1–1.

St. Louis Rams vs. Kansas City Chiefs[]

All-Time pre-season results[]

The Chiefs and Rams met in most pre-seasons from 1996 through 2015 to determine the best NFL team in Missouri. The Rams, who moved to St. Louis in 1995, led the Missouri pre-season series 9–6, before returning to Los Angeles in 2016.

A Chiefs–Rams game in St. Louis during the 2006 season

All-Time regular season results[]

Note: The Governor's Cup was not awarded for games between the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs, but only for games played during the Rams’ time in St. Louis (1995 to 2015).

The Chiefs won the regular season series 6–0.^[3][4]

See also[]

• Governor's Cup (Texas)
• Battle of Ohio (NFL)
• I-70 Series
• 2018 Kansas City Chiefs–Los Angeles Rams game

References[]