Fansided

Ranking the 25 biggest NFL rivalries of all time

By Mike Phillips

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 26: Jackson Carman #79 of the Cincinnati Bengals in action against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 26, 2021 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 26: Jackson Carman #79 of the Cincinnati Bengals in action against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 26, 2021 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
19 of 25
Next
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 10: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys takes the handoff from Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys as Oshane Ximines #53 of the New York Giants closes in at AT&T Stadium on October 10, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 10: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys takes the handoff from Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys as Oshane Ximines #53 of the New York Giants closes in at AT&T Stadium on October 10, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

7. Top NFL Rivalries – Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants

  • All-Time History: Cowboys lead 70-47-2
  • First Meeting: Dec. 4, 1960 (Giants 31, Cowboys 31)
  • Last Meeting: Oct. 10, 2021 (Cowboys 44, Giants 20)
  • Postseason History: Giants lead 1-0

It’s no surprise to see all three of Dallas’ NFC East rivalries rank inside the Top 10 of this list. First up is the Cowboys’ rivalry with the Giants, who have shared a division since Dallas was founded in 1960.

The early roots of this rivalry rest on the shoulders of Tom Landry, who played for the Giants and served as their defensive coordinator from 1956 until ’59, helping revolutionize the NFL with the invention of the 4-3 defense before leaving to become the Cowboys’ first head coach. Landry made it a point to torment his former employer by going 35-17-2 in his career against the Giants.

Apart from a run of dominance by the Cowboys in the 1970s, when they were building the foundation of America’s Team and the Giants were a dumpster fire, this series hasn’t swung too far in one team’s favor for long. The teams have also met just once in the postseason, with the Giants upsetting a 13-win Cowboys team in 2007 on their way to victory in Super Bowl XLII.

The NFL loves this rivalry as well, often showcasing matchups between the Giants and Cowboys in primetime. The teams also have a tendency to play wildly entertaining close games, a good recipe for making this one of the league’s premier rivalries.

Home/NFL