Somewhere down the line, it will make for a good trivia question.

Who was the last team to defeat the 2023 Kansas City Chiefs before they went on to win their third Super Bowl championship in five seasons?

The answer would be the Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Day. And recently, then-interim-turned-full-time Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said a significant reason was the “Jordan” rules enacted for Patrick Mahomes.

Pierce opened up about what that means in a recent edition of defensive end Maxx Crosby’s podcast, “The Rush.”

“We’ve got the Jordan rules and what I’m calling, from now on as long as I’m here, the Patrick Mahomes rules,” said Pierce. “So, you remember when Jordan was going through it with the Pistons, all those guys in the ‘80s; before he became Michael Jordan, Air Jordan, the Pistons used to whup his ass. Any time he came to the hole? Elbows, feeling him, love taps. We touched him. We’re in the head, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, I’m touching you. So, I showed those guys Jordan getting his ass whupped.”
Mahomes was held to 235 yards and a touchdown in a game in which Las Vegas hit him 10 times, including four sacks. The quarterback also threw an interception.

The Raiders served as grinches in the 20-14 win, and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid later told Pierce that the Raiders’ effort taught them a lesson. Kansas City’s players have noted that game as the turning point in what went on to be a Super Bowl championship run.

Pierce also told Crosby the Chiefs using their facility for the Super Bowl will provide “motivation” for 2024 and beyond.

But — knowing Mahomes — so will the Raiders’ public disclosure of the “Jordan” rules.