Governor's Cup (Missouri)


The Missouri Governor's Cup was a trophy awarded to the winner of the football game between Missouri's two National Football League 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 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.

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.
DateVisiting teamHome teamStadium
August 17, 1968St. Louis Cardinals 10Kansas City Chiefs 13Municipal Stadium
August 28, 1969Kansas City Chiefs 31St. Louis Cardinals 21Busch Memorial Stadium
September 12, 1970St. Louis Cardinals 34Kansas City Chiefs 24Busch Memorial Stadium
September 4, 1971St. Louis Cardinals 17Kansas City Chiefs 17Municipal Stadium
August 12, 1972St. Louis Cardinals 14Kansas City Chiefs 24Arrowhead Stadium
September 7, 1973Kansas City Chiefs 16St. Louis Cardinals 7Busch Memorial Stadium
September 6, 1974St. Louis Cardinals 16Kansas City Chiefs 21Arrowhead Stadium
August 9, 1975St. Louis Cardinals 10Kansas City Chiefs 3Arrowhead Stadium
September 3, 1976Kansas City Chiefs 14St. Louis Cardinals 31Busch Memorial Stadium
September 10, 1977St. Louis Cardinals 20Kansas City Chiefs 37Arrowhead Stadium
August 28, 1978St. Louis Cardinals 12Kansas City Chiefs 7Arrowhead Stadium
August 18, 1979St. Louis Cardinals 3Kansas City Chiefs 20Arrowhead Stadium
August 23, 1980Kansas City Chiefs 20St. Louis Cardinals 10Busch Memorial Stadium
August 22, 1981St. Louis Cardinals 16Kansas City Chiefs 3Arrowhead Stadium
September 4, 1982Kansas City Chiefs 10St. Louis Cardinals 6Busch Memorial Stadium
August 20, 1983St. Louis Cardinals 16Kansas City Chiefs 17Arrowhead Stadium
August 10, 1984Kansas City Chiefs 10St. Louis Cardinals 14Busch Memorial Stadium
August 31, 1985St. Louis Cardinals 13Kansas City Chiefs 17Arrowhead Stadium
August 16, 1986Kansas City Chiefs 27St. Louis Cardinals 26Busch Memorial Stadium
September 6, 1987Kansas City Chiefs 13St. Louis Cardinals 10@ Memphis, Tennessee

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 led the regular reason series 3–1–1.
DateVisiting teamHome teamStadium
November 22, 1970St. Louis Cardinals 6Kansas City Chiefs 6Municipal Stadium
December 1, 1974Kansas City Chiefs 17St. Louis Cardinals 13Busch Memorial Stadium
November 23, 1980Kansas City Chiefs 21St. Louis Cardinals 13Busch Memorial Stadium
October 2, 1983St. Louis Cardinals 14Kansas City Chiefs 38Arrowhead Stadium
November 23, 1986Kansas City Chiefs 14St. Louis Cardinals 23Busch Memorial Stadium

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.
DateVisiting teamHome teamStadium
August 17, 1996St. Louis Rams 34Kansas City Chiefs 30Arrowhead Stadium
August 22, 1997Kansas City Chiefs 13St. Louis Rams 14Trans World Dome
August 28, 1998St. Louis Rams 10Kansas City Chiefs 6Arrowhead Stadium
August 31, 2001Kansas City Chiefs 17St. Louis Rams 21Trans World Dome
August 30, 2002St. Louis Rams 16Kansas City Chiefs 23Arrowhead Stadium
August 28, 2003Kansas City Chiefs 22St. Louis Rams 6Edward Jones Dome
August 23, 2004St. Louis Rams 7Kansas City Chiefs 24Arrowhead Stadium
September 2, 2005Kansas City Chiefs 23St. Louis Rams 27Edward Jones Dome
August 26, 2006St. Louis Rams 12Kansas City Chiefs 16Arrowhead Stadium
August 30, 2007Kansas City Chiefs 3St. Louis Rams 10Edward Jones Dome
August 28, 2008St. Louis Rams 17Kansas City Chiefs 21Arrowhead Stadium
September 3, 2009Kansas City Chiefs 9St. Louis Rams 17Edward Jones Dome
August 26, 2011St. Louis Rams 14Kansas City Chiefs 10Arrowhead Stadium
August 18, 2012Kansas City Chiefs 17St. Louis Rams 31Edward Jones Dome
September 3, 2015Kansas City Chiefs 24St. Louis Rams 17Edward Jones Dome

All-Time regular season results

Note: The Governor's Cup was not awarded for games between the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs, only for games played during the Rams’ time in St.Louis.
The Chiefs led the regular season series 6–0.
DateVisiting teamHome teamStadiumGame notes
October 26, 1997Kansas City Chiefs 28St. Louis Rams 20Trans World DomeIsaac Bruce becomes the first NFL player since 1968 to throw a touchdown, catch a touchdown and rush for a touchdown in the same game.
October 22, 2000St. Louis Rams 34Kansas City Chiefs 54Arrowhead StadiumGame played a week after Governor Mel Carnahan died in a plane crash while campaigning for a seat in the United States Senate. He was scheduled to attend the game. A moment of silence was held beforehand.
December 8, 2002St. Louis Rams 10Kansas City Chiefs 49Arrowhead StadiumDante Hall records two kick returns for touchdowns in the first quarter.
November 5, 2006Kansas City Chiefs 31St. Louis Rams 17Edward Jones Dome
December 19, 2010Kansas City Chiefs 27St. Louis Rams 13Edward Jones Dome
October 26, 2014St. Louis Rams 7Kansas City Chiefs 34Arrowhead StadiumJamaal Charles and Knile Davis combine for four touchdowns.