May 9, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, right, confers with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh during the teamís rookie minicamp. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Rams Shockingly Not Named NFC West Foe's Biggest Rival

Originally posted on Los Angeles Rams on SI
By Brock Vierra | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 12:31 PM ET

When the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers truly hated each other, football was at it's peak. Aaron Donald was always trying to shove somebody, the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay feud was dominating headlines, Trent Williams was out to hunt, and football was beautiful.

While the rivalry, still hotly contested has cooled off in recent years, it's actually another team that Gilberto Manzano listed as the 49ers biggest current rival, naming the Kansas City Chiefs as the team the 49ers hate the most.

"Maybe the correct answer here is the Rams, but Shanahan and 49ers players might spend the rest of their lives thinking about the two Super Bowl losses to the Chiefs," wrote Manzano. "It might sting more knowing that Philadelphia managed to avenge its 2023 Super Bowl loss to Kansas City with a blowout victory in February. San Francisco had Kansas City on the ropes twice and couldn’t finish the job on the biggest stage either time."

"The 49ers’ Super Bowl window might not be completely shut, but they lost plenty of talent in the offseason after missing the postseason in 2024. Oh, what could have been had Shanahan not elected to receive the ball first in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII."

In the Kyle Shanahan era, the Chiefs have played the 49ers five times and have won all five games.

However, it's hard to say the 49ers hate the Chiefs more than the Rams because the 49ers don't play the Chiefs often, as compared to the Rams, plus Shanahan and Andy Reid do not have the same background that he and McVay have.

Plus, everyone knows the 49ers gave the Super Bowl away twice to the Chiefs, so there isn't the same feeling as if the Chiefs straight up defeated the 49ers. It's more of a sad feeling than one of anger.

Plus, a driving force of the Rams and 49ers rivalry is their proximity to one another and how that feeds off long-term feelings between Northern and Southern California.

It does help that these two teams played each other in the 2022 NFC Championship game, a game won by the Rams, a game that strengthened the hatred between the two so it's not like the 49ers only played the Chiefs in a big game.

Besides, can a rivalry exist if only one team wins? Before anyone starts, I've stated the same about the Rams and Eagles. Winning matter.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Rams on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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