Ranking the 25 biggest NFL rivalries of all time

5 of 25

CINCINNATI, OH – NOVEMBER 07: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals throws the ball during the game against the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium on November 7, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /

21. Top NFL Rivalries – Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals

All-Time History: Bengals lead 51-45
First Meeting: Oct. 11, 1970 (Browns 30, Bengals 27)
Last Meeting: Nov. 7, 2021 (Browns 41, Bengals 16)
Postseason History: None

It wouldn’t be a list of the NFL’s top rivalries without mentioning the Battle of Ohio. The Browns’ move from the NFC to the AFC in 1970 allowed the league to place the Browns and Bengals inside the same division, the AFC Central, leading to the birth of this bi-annual matchup for bragging rights in the Buckeye state.

The height of the Browns-Bengals rivalry came in the 1980s, when both teams were regular contenders for the Super Bowl. Cincinnati did make a pair of Super Bowl appearances in the 1980s while the Browns had their hearts broken on numerous occasions, most famously being the victim of upset bids by John Elway’s Denver Broncos in three separate AFC Championship Games.

The Battle of Ohio swung in the Browns’ favor in the early 1990s, when Cleveland dominated the series by winning seven straight meetings before Art Modell moved the franchise to Baltimore after the 1995 season. Things cooled off a bit as the expansion version of the Browns struggled for years, leading to closer yet uncompelling meetings in the ensuing 20 years.

The good news here is that it looks like both Cleveland and Cincinnati are on the upswing, making future meetings have much more significance. The Browns dominated the Bengals when these teams last met in Week 9, adding a significant revenge angle for Cincinnati in the Week 18 rematch.

Home/NFL