The Chiefs and Bengals are talking trash ahead of Sunday’s AFC title rematch

Football is a competitive sport, and if you’re a competitor, you love nothing more than some good old fashion trash talk. That is precisely what we have been getting ahead of the showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals in a rematch of the AFC Championship.

Things started to get heated on Twitter on Wednesday, when Chiefs safety Justin Reid’s locker room interview hit the timeline. Reid, who signed with the Chiefs this offseason and did not take part in that playoff loss a year ago, had some choice words for the Bengals' receiving group.

He made it known that somebody was getting locked down.

It was clear that Reid didn’t really remember the player's name that he was trying to think of, and the reporter assumed he meant Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. He threw Higgins’ name out there, and Reid took it and ran with it, boldly stating that he would lock him down.

Reid would later post that he meant Bengals tight end Hayden Hurst but doubled down on the trash talk when he added, “any and everybody still getting locked up.”

This is where it gets very interesting.

Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase — who will be back playing after missing the last three games — responded to Reid’s tweet, telling him, “Let’s put some money on it.“

Reid then attempted to leave it on the football field with a subtle jab of, “Y’all welcome for the extra motivation.”

Chase noticed the jab and came back with quite a counterpunch. He replied, “Tuna in a can,” and added a cat emoji.

A lot of people may decipher this message in different ways. Decode the message as you see fit, but those would be considered fighting words from where I sit.

Reid seemed to feel the same as I do because he simply replied, “Noted.”

That's what you say when there are no more words to be said. That’s what you say when the only thing left to do is put words to action.

Now, fans on both the Chiefs and Bengals sides are taking the trash-talking to an all-time high. It looks and feels like the beginning of a true rivalry, where fans and players really don’t like each other.

Things seemed to fizzle out on Twitter until a day later, when an interview with Chase was posted. Chase made it known that he felt the need to chime in when Reid mentioned shutting the entire team down.

Later on Thursday, a reporter finally caught up to Hurst. Hurst was asked about the comments Reid made.

After a light chuckle, the Bengals tight end said, “He could pick anybody in this locker room, but I feel like I’m the last person you probably want to talk s—t about. I have a long memory.”

The bottom line

The Chiefs-Bengals matchup was already set to be a massive game for both teams. The trash talk has only intensified the budding rivalry and should make for an amazing football game.

Outside of winning the trash-talking battle, both teams have things on the line in this game. After losing the last two contests to the Bengals, the Chiefs need to show that the Bengals don't really have their number — and, more importantly — keep hold of the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture. The Bengals are in a fight with the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the AFC North and need a win to keep the hope of hosting a home playoff game alive.

Will Reid “lock any and everybody” down, or will Chase, Higgins or Hurst make him eat those words?

All will be decided Sunday afternoon in what should be an epic battle.