The Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers enter Sunday night's game tied for the top spot in the AFC North at 6-2.

It's one of the biggest regular season meetings between the teams in years, but Ja'Marr Chase still puts the Bengals' rivalry with the Kansas City Chiefs a tier above it.

Asked where Pittsburgh ranked among the rivalries he's been part of in his career, Chase said on Thursday that it was "pretty up there." The Bengals superstar stopped short of picking a No. 1, saying, "I don't have nobody number one."

Why Bengals-Chiefs Stands Out for Ja’Marr Chase

The follow-up yielded a more definitive answer from Chase. When asked whether the Pittsburgh rivalry was on par with Cincinnati's rivalry with Kansas City when both teams were rolling, Chase replied, "No, no, no." He put the Chiefs rivalry "way higher."

Some of the biggest games of Chase's career came against Kansas City, and the first one produced one of his best individual performances. As a rookie, he caught 11 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-31 win over the Chiefs. The Bengals overcame three separate 14-point deficits that afternoon and clinched the AFC North on Evan McPherson's field goal as time expired.

Four weeks later, the teams met again at Arrowhead Stadium, with a Super Bowl berth on the line. Cincinnati fell behind 21-3 but rallied to win 27-24 in overtime. The following season, Kansas City earned a rematch in the AFC Championship Game and won 23-20 with a field goal as time expired.

In just over a year, the teams had played a game that clinched a division title and two others that determined who would represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

Sunday's meeting with Pittsburgh has its own stakes, though they aren't as high as the stakes in the matchups with the Chiefs.

These AFC North rivals are both 6-2, which is the best combined winning percentage for a Bengals-Steelers matchup this late in the season since 2009 according to NBC. The winner will also take sole possession of first place in the AFC North.

The Bengals are trying to win their fifth-straight game and avoid being swept by Pittsburgh for the first time since 2023.

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