Bengals' Chase joins Ravens' Humphrey on Eagles' Super Bowl bandwagon
Cinncinati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase has joined a growing list of NFL players cheering against the Kansas City Chiefs in this season's Super Bowl.
"Everyone knows I'm not a KC fan, so I'm hoping (Philadelphia Eagles running back) Saquon (Barkley) rushes for like 200 this game," Chase said Friday, according to WCPO 9's Caleb Noe.
Chase has been outspoken about his dislike for the Chiefs. He said he was cheering for "anybody but the Chiefs" last postseason, per The Kansas City Star's Pete Grathoff.
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey posted a similar sentiment after the Buffalo Bills beat the Ravens in the AFC divisional round.
"I have no reason of saying this other than being a hater," Humphrey posted on X. "The Bills or whatever NFC team gotta beat the Chiefs. We can't let them keep getting away with this."
Cincinnati was the last team to beat the Chiefs in the playoffs, winning 27-24 in overtime in the AFC championship Jan. 30, 2022. The Bengals ended up falling 23-20 to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI.
Since losing to the Bengals, the Chiefs have won back-to-back Super Bowls and are looking to be the first NFL team to three-peat. The team enters its fifth Super Bowl appearance with Patrick Mahomes under center.
Kansas City has gotten flak from fans and players this postseason for receiving favorable calls from referees. The team has received the second-fewest penalty flags this season, according to nflpenalties.com.
Tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins have embraced the antagonism and are using it as fuel for their Super Bowl run.
"You just circle the wagons," Kelce said on his "New Heights" podcast Wednesday. "People are saying whatever they want. You just band together, and it just makes you appreciate more of what you have, because people want what you have."
The Chiefs take on the Eagles on Feb. 9 in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.