Getty Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams.
Though the Kansas City Chiefs have dominated the rivalry with the Las Vegas Raiders over the past decade, the two teams still hold a lot of disdain for each other. It’s a rivalry that goes back to the early days of the AFL. Games between the two teams often get heated and players have no love for each other when they’re playing.
That’s why seeing a noted Raiders fan donning Chiefs gear is a tough pill to swallow. One of the most notable celebrity Raiders fans, since they’ve been in Las Vegas, has been the rapper Lil Jon. The “Turn Down for What” singer is frequently seen at games wearing Raiders gear and has performed the halftime show before at Allegiant Stadium.
To the dismay of Raiders players and fans, Lil Jon was seen at the Chiefs’ Saturday playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars decked from head to toe in the team’s red and yellow color scheme. He was there to perform the halftime show and it’s common for performers to wear the gear of the home team.
Despite that, a couple of Raiders stars weren’t pleased. Defensive end Maxx Crosby said that Lil Jon is “cut.”
Star wide receiver Davante Adams also called out Lil Jon for the betrayal.
😂😂😂😂 Tae not having it
(IG : @tae15adams )
Lil Jon spends a lot of time out in Las Vegas and will likely be at many Raider games to come. He’ll have some explaining to do to get back into the good graces of fans and players. The artist did defend himself and say that it was just for the paid gig.
@CrosbyMaxx U DO KNO I WAS PAID TO PERFORM THERE RIGHT 🤔
Travis Kelce Admitted to Disrespecting Raiders
The Raiders have plenty of bulletin board material for when they play the Chiefs next season. In Week 18, the two teams matched up and Kansas City pulled off one of the most disrespectful plays of the season. When the offense was in the red zone, the players danced around in a circle before hiking it and scoring a touchdown that was called back due to a holding penalty.
I will forever declare this as ring around the rosie. #Chiefs
While some players denied it was disrespectful, many fans and media members thought it was about as disrespectful as it gets. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce admitted on a January 11 episode of the “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce” podcast that it was a “f*** you” play.
The Raiders haven’t exactly been respectful of the Chiefs in recent seasons. Two years ago, the team did a victory lap around Arrowhead stadium after beating Kansas City at home. Last year, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue had the team huddle up on their logo. The play was likely a way for the Chiefs to get back at the Raiders for what they’ve done in recent years.
Raiders Still Got Work to Do to Catch the Chiefs
When the Raiders played the Chiefs in Week 5, they were close to pulling off the upset. They lost 30-29 and could’ve tied the game if head coach Josh McDaniels kicked the PAT instead of going for the two-point conversion. By the time Week 18 came around, the Raiders weren’t anywhere close to the Chiefs and lost 31-13.
Las Vegas clearly still has a ton of work to do to compete with Kansas City. That’s going to start with finding the next quarterback. Derek Carr will be on the move this offseason and the Raiders will need to replace him. They need somebody who can at least compete with Patrick Mahomes. Whether that’s Tom Brady or a rookie remains to be seen but the team has to nail their pick or it’s going to be another several years of Chiefs dominance.