How many times have the Detroit Lions played the Kansas City Chiefs?

The Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs don't play each other often, as would be expected across different conferences. Of course they'll open the 2023 NFL season on Thursday night, as the Lions start a season with high expectations on the big stage against the defending Super Bowl champs.

The Lions' last visit to Arrowhead Stadium came in 2003. To put that in perspective, the starting quarterbacks that day were Joey Harrington for the Lions and Trent Green for the Chiefs. The head coaches were Steve Mariucci and Dick Vermeil.

Three of the last four matchups between the teams have been in Detroit, with one in London (2015). That latter game was also the last time the Lions played overseas, and they seemed lined up to play the Chiefs overseas again this season. But it's the first game of the season instead.

The Lions and Chiefs played each other for the first time in 1971. They've played in back-to-back seasons twice (1980-1981, 1987-1988), with the longest gap between matchups six years (1990 to 1996).

Detroit's last win at Arrowhead Stadium (with whatever corporate name that's attached to it now) was in 1988, in a 7-6 barn burner.

In the most recent matchup, a 34-30 win for the Chiefs on Sept. 29, 2019, Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford both topped 290 yards through the air without an interception, and averaged at least 7.5 yards per completion.

What is the Detroit Lions' all-time record against the Kansas City Chiefs?

The Lions and Chiefs have played 14 times overall. The Lions are 5-9 in the series, with Kansas City winning the last two, three of the last five and six of the last eight going back to 1990. The Lions won two in a row, 2007 and 2011. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is 5-1 in his career against the Lions.

The Lions-Chiefs series history obviously has no bearing on what will happen this time around. But it's interesting to check in the history between two teams that just don't see each other often.