Classic rivalries like Packers-Bears and Giants-Cowboys help make the NFL great. Here’s how the 25 best NFL rivalries of all-time rank.
One of the things that makes the NFL great is its tremendous rivalries. Fans can always look forward to excellent theater when two bitter rivals meet on the gridiron, such as the annual bloodbath between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens or any NFC East showdown’s epic stakes.
How do the NFL’s rivalries compare to each other? Let’s break down the 25 most impactful rivalries in the history of the league, beginning with a good old-fashioned AFC North showdown.
25. Top NFL rivalries – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
- All-Time Record: Steelers lead 67-37
- First Meeting: Nov. 2, 1970 (Steelers 21, Bengals 10)
- Last Meeting: Sept. 26, 2021 (Bengals 24, Steelers 10)
- Postseason History: Steelers lead 2-0
This rivalry was born in 1970 when the Steelers moved to the AFC, joining the Bengals in the Central Division. It has been heavily weighted towards Pittsburgh through the years, with the Steelers dominating the struggling Bengals thanks to the Steel Curtain era dynasty of the 1970s.
The tables turned in the 80s when Cincinnati became a powerhouse in the Central, advancing to two Super Bowls and picking up the most lopsided victory in the rivalry by wallopping the Steelers 42-7 in 1988. The close proximity of the two cities has certainly contributed to the heated nature of this rivalry since the teams are only five hours apart, leading to plenty of Steelers’ fans surfacing in Cincinnati over the years.
The Bengals’ futility in the 1990s dialed back the intensity of the rivalry but Cincinnati’s resurgence in the mid-2000s helped a new generation experience the intensity of hating the Steelers. The only two playoff meetings between these franchises have come in Cincinnati, with the Steelers winning each contest in memorable fashion.
That 2005 postseason meeting saw Carson Palmer tear his ACL on a dirty tackle from Steelers’ defensive tackle Kimo Von Oelhoffen while the 2015 game saw the Bengals blow a late lead when a series of personal foul calls helped set up Pittsburgh with the winning field goal attempt. Cincinnati has actually won the last two meetings between the teams, including a 24-10 win at Heinz Field earlier this season, setting the stage for a new era in the Steelers-Bengals rivalry.
24. Top NFL rivalries – Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions
- All-Time Record: Packers lead 105-72-7
- First Meeting: Nov. 2, 1930 (Packers 47, Spartans 13)
- Last Meeting: Sept. 20, 2021 (Packers 35, Lions 17)
- Postseason History: Packers lead 2-0
History certainly adds to the intensity of an NFL rivalry and Packers-Lions certainly fits the bill. These teams first met back in 1930, when the Lions were known as the Portsmouth Spartans before moving to Detroit in 1934, and have established one of the NFL’s longest divisional rivalries.
Green Bay dominated the series early, winning 29 of the first 40 meetings, but Detroit bounced back by ripping off a 15-4-1 record in the 1950s to establish themselves as a threat. The two teams proceeded to trade blows through the 1990s when things started to get more lopsided in the Packers’ favor after the Lions’ collapse following the retirement of Barry Sanders.
The only two playoff meetings between the Packers and Lions came in consecutive years with Green Bay picking up a pair of four-point victories over Detroit. These teams are also matched up frequently on Thanksgiving, with the Packers and Lions facing off 22 times on Turkey Day over the course of their history, including some memorable contests like 1962’s Thanksgiving Day Massacre, when the Lions handed the Packers their only loss of the regular season while sacking Bart Starr 11 times.
This rivalry did gain some steam again in the 2010s when Detroit was a regular playoff threat but it could swing back heavily in favor of the Packers now that the Lions are rebuilding again. Detroit has at least made some progress in games at Lambeau Field, winning three times in their past six trips to Green Bay after going from 1992-2014 without a win on the Frozen Tundra.
23. Top NFL Rivalries – New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons
- All-Time History: Falcons lead 54-51
- First Meeting: Nov. 20, 1967 (Saints 27, Falcons 24)
- Last Meeting: Nov. 7, 2021 (Falcons 27, Saints 25)
- Postseason History: Falcons lead 1-0
The NFL hasn’t always done the best job maintaining geography with its divisions, which has led some of the league’s younger teams to have trouble forming long-standing rivalries. One notable exception is with the Saints and Falcons, who have been bitter rivals since New Orleans joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1967.
Just seven hours separate New Orleans and Atlanta, allowing fans in the football-crazed south a perfect opportunity to travel to each stadium during the season. The Saints and Falcons were both placed in the NFC West after the NFL merger in 1970, where their rivalry took off.
One of the most memorable games in Saints’ history came against the Falcons in 2006, when Steve Gleason’s blocked punt helped New Orleans pick up a win in their first game back in the Superdome since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. This rivalry has also picked up steam in recent years with both teams in contention for the NFC South title more often than not.
Contests between the Saints and Falcons have also become underrated gems due to the shootouts that became a frequent occurrence over the past decade. With Drew Brees retired and Matt Ryan on the decline, however, the next iteration of this rivalry should emerge in the coming years.
22. Top NFL Rivalries – Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
- All-Time History: Dolphins lead 61-54-1
- First Meeting: Sept. 18, 1966 (Bills 58, Dolphins 24)
- Last Meeting: Oct. 31, 2021 (Bills 26, Dolphins 11)
- Postseason History: Bills lead 3-1
This historic rivalry dates back to the AFL as the Dolphins and Bills began to hate each other after Miami joined the league in 1966. The emergence of Don Shula in the 1970s led to some early dominance for the Dolphins, who lorded over the Bills by sweeping the decade of matchups.
Buffalo got back into the mix with the emergence of their dominant teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s headlined by Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy and Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. Miami was never afraid of the Bills since they had their own future Hall of Famer in Dan Marino, leading to some epic showdowns over the next 20 years.
This rivalry has also seen four playoff matchups, with the most memorable one being the 1992 AFC Championship Game which Buffalo won 29-10 at home. The Bills also ended Shula’s coaching career by topping Miami 37-22 in the Wild Card round of the 1995 playoffs.
The heat of this rivalry cooled a bit with both teams fading a bit after the retirements of the key figures from the 1990s run but the passion has started to resurface lately. Buffalo has proven to be a thorn in Miami’s side again as they have won seven straight matchups against the Dolphins, including a Week 17 defeat last season that knocked Miami out of the playoffs.
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.
20. Top NFL Rivalries – Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers
- All-Time History: Seahawks lead 29-17
- First Meeting: Sept. 26, 1976 (49ers 37, Seahawks 21)
- Last Meeting: Oct. 3, 2021 (Seahawks 28, 49ers 21)
- Postseason History: Seahawks lead 1-0
This rivalry has gained a lot of ground in recent years thanks to the NFL’s re-alignment in 2002 after the Houston Texans joined the league. The move to four divisions in each conference based on geography required one team to shift from the AFC West to the NFC West and Seattle was chosen since they don’t have as long a history together with the rest of the teams in their original division.
The move helped ignite a fierce rivalry with the 49ers that gained steam in the 2010s when coaching rivals Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll took over each team. The pair had a rivalry dating back to their Pac-12 days, with Harbaugh coaching Stanford and Carroll guiding USC, and the fact each coach was able to transform their team into an NFC superpower made things very interesting.
Since then, each contest has become must-see TV, including some epic showdowns with NFC West crowns on the line. The lone playoff meeting between the Seahawks and 49ers came in 2014, with Seattle’s Richard Sherman breaking up a potential go-ahead touchdown pass from Colin Kaepernick with seconds to go, the ball landing in the hands of Malcolm Smith to send Seattle to the Super Bowl.
This bitter rivalry has been one-sided of late since Russell Wilson has cemented himself as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, going 16-4 in 20 meetings against the 49ers since he was drafted by the Seahawks in 2012. Time will tell if Trey Lance will develop into a worthy adversary for Wilson to help San Francisco even up this fierce rivalry.
19. Top NFL rivalries – New York Giants vs. Washington Football Team
- All-Time History: Giants lead 105-70-4
- First Meeting: Oct. 9, 1932 (Braves 14, Giants 6)
- Last Meeting: Sept. 16, 2021 (Football Team 30, Giants 29)
- Postseason History: Tied 1-1
The NFC East’s rivalries are some of the most historic in the sport and the Giants’ longstanding clash with Washington is no exception. The franchises first met in 1932, when Washington was based in Boston and known as the Braves, making it the oldest rivalry in the division.
These two teams frequently got in each other’s way in pursuit of the NFL championship in the early days of their rivalry, with New York and Washington each claiming a pair of titles between 1937 and 1942. There were often plenty of storylines associated with some of their legendary contests, including a controversial field goal call at the end of the 1939 season that helped the Giants sneak past Washington to earn a spot in the NFL Championship Game, which they would go on to lose to the Green Bay Packers.
Perhaps the most famous moment in the rivalry came in 1985 when Lawrence Taylor broke Joe Theismann’s leg on a vicious sack on Monday Night Football. The hit would go on to end Theismann’s career but Washington still managed to win a pair of Super Bowls in the ensuing decade, leading the Giants 3-2 in that category for nearly two decades.
The rivalry has become more lopsided of late since Daniel Snyder’s ownership has driven Washington into the ground. The Giants have had their own issues as well but a turnaround from both sides could re-ignite the juice in one of the league’s oldest feuds.
18. Top NFL Rivalries – New England Patriots vs. New York Jets
- All-Time History: Patriots lead 71-54-1
- First Meeting: Sept. 17, 1960 (Patriots 28, Titans 24)
- Last Meeting: Oct. 24, 2021 (Patriots 54, Jets 13)
- Postseason History: Patriots lead 2-1
This rivalry has been one-sided of late but the Patriots and Jets have shared a mutual hatred over the years. The two two teams have been bitter rivals since they were founding members of the AFL in 1960, but things really heated up in the 1990s thanks to Bill Parcells.
Dissatisfied with how much control Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft allowed him to have over the roster, Parcells essentially forced his way to the Jets in 1997, starting a big cycle of coach and player movement between the two franchises. Bill Belichick contributed to the rivalry by resigning after just one day as the Jets’ head coach to take over in New England, setting the stage for the Patriots’ dynasty.
The Jets also contributed to the dynasty when Mo Lewis knocked Drew Bledsoe out of a game in 2001 with an injury that got the Patriots’ quarterback hospitalized, leading to the insertion of little-known backup Tom Brady into the New England lineup. Brady took the job and ran with it, adding more fuel to the fire of this rivalry since he and Belichick took tremendous glee in embarrassing the Jets any chance they could.
The rivalry peaked in the 2000s, when the Jets were New England’s toughest competition in the AFC East, with New York scoring a big blow when they stunned the top-seeded Patriots in an upset at Gillette Stadium during the 2010 playoffs weeks after getting embarrassed by New England in a 45-3 debacle on Monday Night Football. The Patriots have dominated ever since, humiliating the Jets with the butt fumble on Thanksgiving in 2012 and ripping off 12 consecutive victories in the series dating back to 2016.
17. Top NFL Rivalries – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Football Team
- All-Time History: Washington leads 88-80-6
- First Meeting: Oct. 21, 1934 (Redskins 6, Eagles 0)
- Last Meeting: Jan. 3, 2021 (Football Team 20, Eagles 14)
- Postseason History: Washington leads 1-0
It’s time for another NFC East rivalry as the focus this time shifts to Philadelphia and Washington. These long-time rivals first met in 1934, when the Redskins’ franchise was based in Boston, and they have met twice annually ever since.
The close geographic proximity of Philadelphia and Washington has certainly heightened the stakes of this rivalry. Unlike a lot of the rivalries covered to this point on the list, these teams have been pretty evenly matched over the course of their history, with Washington holding a slim eight-game lead in the series that has narrowed considerably over the past 20 years.
The most infamous game between these two rivals came in 1990, when the Eagles knocked out nine Washington players, including both of the team’s active quarterbacks, in what became known as the Body Bag game. That set the stage for the only playoff meeting between the two storied rivals in the Wild Card round, where Washington got its revenge by knocking out Philadelphia with a 20-6 win at Veteran’s Stadium.
The rivalry has seen better days thanks to the recent futility of Washington since Daniel Snyder took over as the team’s principal owner but the Football Team did sweep Philadelphia last season on its way to a stunning division crown.
16. Top NFL rivalries – Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos
- All-Time History: Chiefs lead 67-55
- First Meeting: Oct. 30, 1960 (Texans 17, Broncos 14)
- Last Meeting: Dec. 6, 2020 (Chiefs 22, Broncos 16)
- Postseason History: Broncos lead 1-0
A byproduct of the four AFC West teams being together since the early days of the AFL means that some nasty rivalries have formed. One of the most famous is the Chiefs-Broncos rivalry, which started out with Kansas City dominating early before Denver struck back.
The Chiefs, who began their existence as the Dallas Texans, utterly smoked the Broncos for the entirety of the 1960s, winning 19 of 20 meetings against Denver. The fortunes of the franchises flipped entirely after that as the Broncos found success, most notably with John Elway from 1983 until 1998, narrowly winning the series in each decade from the 1970s through the 2000s.
Games between the Chiefs and Broncos are often physical fights with some notable star power, often involving quarterbacks like Elway, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning and Patrick Mahomes. The teams have combined to win the last 11 AFC West titles, a trend that could continue this season with both rivals right in the hunt as we hit the stretch run.
For a series that has been so close over the years, it is interesting to see how much quarterback play can dictate the rivalry. Manning went 7-1 against the Chiefs before he retired while the Chiefs have not lost to Denver since then, going a perfect 7-0 in games Mahomes has started against the Broncos entering 2021.
15. Top NFL Rivalries – San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams
- All-Time History: 49ers lead 74-67-3
- First Meeting: Oct. 1, 1950 (Rams 35, 49ers 14)
- Last Meeting: Nov. 15, 2021 (49ers 31, Rams 10)
- Postseason History: 49ers lead 1-0
There’s nothing like a little California flavor as the 49ers and Rams have been bitter rivals since San Francisco joined the NFL from the All-American Football Conference in 1950. The early stages of this rivalry were dominated by the Rams, who were the much better team until 1980, but it has gone heavily in favor of the 49ers since.
The long-time rivals have been members of the NFC West since the division was created in 1970 and dominated the division from that point, with the two combining to win all 10 NFC West titles in the 1970s. San Francisco actually lost 17 of 20 meetings in that decade but turned their fortunes around in the 1980s by going 13-8 against their bitter rivals, including a victory in the lone playoff meeting between them in 1990.
The rivalry took a bit of a hit when the Rams moved to St. Louis in the mid-1990s but the games themselves were still very intense. The Rams gained the upper hand for a bit during the Greatest Show on Turf era but the 49ers regained control after the Rams slumped into a rebuilding cycle.
Things have heated up between the two rivals since the Rams returned to Los Angeles in 2016, re-igniting the geographic proximity of the rivalry. Both teams have also been highly competitive in the NFC West since then as well, making this rivalry one that could rise in the rankings again.
14. Top NFL Rivalries – New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts
- All-Time History: Patriots lead 52-29
- First Meeting: Oct. 4, 1970 (Colts 14, Patriots 6)
- Last Meeting: Oct. 4, 2018 (Patriots 38, Colts 24)
- Postseason History: Patriots lead 4-1
Perhaps one of the most iconic NFL rivalries of the 2000s, the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts became common foes despite failing to share a division after the 2001 season. These franchises were first linked by the AFL-NFL merger when the then-Baltimore Colts moved from the NFC to the AFC and joined the AFC East with New England.
The two sides played close contests early on but the Patriots began to dominate the rivalry in the 1980s and 1990s when Indianapolis was in a downturn. Things really heated up near the turn of the century when Peyton Manning and Tom Brady took over at quarterback.
The two stars shared a division in 2001 before re-alignment moved the Colts to the AFC South in 2002, robbing football fans of the chance to see Brady and Manning play twice a year in their primes. The meetings began happening anyway in big spots, including some memorable playoff matchups like the 2003 and 2006 AFC Championship Games, with New England going 2-1 in Brady-Manning playoff showdowns.
The exit of Manning after the 2011 season has led to a recent run of Patriot dominance since New England has gone 7-0 against the Colts without Manning under center. The two rivals meet again in December for the first time since Brady’s departure from New England, which could give the Colts a tremendous opportunity to start a new era against their rivals.
13. Top NFL rivalries – New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins
- All-Time History: Dolphins lead 56-55-1
- First Meeting: Sept. 9, 1966 (Jets 19, Dolphins 14)
- Last Meeting: Nov. 21, 2021 (Dolphins 24, Jets 17)
- Postseason History: Dolphins lead 1-0
There isn’t a more intense rivalry in the AFC East than the one between the Jets and Dolphins, who have hated each other since Miami was born into the AFL in 1966. The rivalry started as one-sided with the Jets winning the first eight matchups before Miami took over as the powerhouse thanks to their early 1970s dynasty.
Things heated up in the 1980s, particularly with the two sides squaring off in the AFC Championship Game in 1982 in Miami. With the Jets being known for their team speed, legend has it that Dolphins’ head coach Don Shula ordered the field be left uncovered ahead of a massive rainstorm, leading to a sloppy game that came to be known as the Mud Bowl which Miami won 14-0 after Jets’ quarterback Richard Todd threw five interceptions, three of which went to linebacker A.J. Duhe.
The two sides also saw their rivalry intensify with the arrival of Dan Marino in Miami as Marino took particular glee in beating the Jets, including the infamous fake spike game in 1994, when he faked a spike late in the fourth quarter only to throw the winning touchdown pass to Mark Ingram. The Jets have also had some memorable wins in the rivalry, including the Monday Night Miracle in 2000, when they rallied from a 30-7 deficit at the end of the third quarter to stun the Dolphins 40-37 in overtime.
This rivalry has been remarkably close with the teams entering the 2021 season tied with 55 wins apiece. Both teams are struggling right now but that won’t stop them from trying to win their matchups at all costs.
12. Top NFL Rivalries – New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles
- All-Time History: Eagles lead 89-87-2
- First Meeting: Oct. 15, 1933 (Giants 56, Eagles 0)
- Last Meeting: Nov. 15, 2020 (Giants 27, Eagles 17)
- Postseason History: Tied 2-2
Let’s go back to the NFC East for another historic rivalry between the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. These two bitter rivals are separated by just 96 miles along the I-95 corridor and have been duking it out since 1933 when the Giants started the series with a 56-0 beatdown of the Eagles.
Another infamous moment in the rivalry came in 1960 when Eagles’ linebacker Chuck Bednarik delivered a nasty blindside hit to Giants’ star running back Frank Gifford that knocked him out of the league for 18 months with a severe concussion. Philadelphia also delivered another iconic blow to New York with the 1978 Miracle at the Meadowlands, when a late blocked punt by Eagles’ defensive back Herman Edwards led to the game-winning touchdown that embarrassed the Giants into making changes that turned the franchise around.
The rivals also have traded blows throughout the decades, with neither side getting too far ahead of the other as Philadelphia leads the all-time series by just two wins. The postseason results have also been tight with each side winning two playoff meetings, including the most recent victory being a 23-11 upset by the Eagles in 2008 in what turned out to be the final playoff game at Giants’ stadium.
The 2010s saw the rivalry go pretty much one-sided as the Eagles ripped off 16 wins in 20 meetings. The Giants are still salty towards the Eagles from the 2020 regular-season finale when the Eagles laid down in the final minutes against Washington to help knock New York out of the playoffs, which should add some juice to their meetings this season.
11. Top NFL Rivalries – Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders
- All-Time History: Raiders lead 68-54-2
- First Meeting: Oct. 2, 1960 (Broncos 31, Raiders 14)
- Last Meeting: Oct. 17, 2021 (Raiders 34, Broncos 24)
- Postseason History: Tied 1-1
This bitter grudge match dates back to the early days of the AFL as the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders have shared a division since they were born in 1960. The Raiders dominated the series early on since Denver didn’t reach the postseason until 1977 but after that things became much more intense.
The sides have met twice in the playoffs, including a 20-17 win by Denver during their first postseason appearance in 1978. The Raiders returned the favor in the 1994 playoffs, knocking out the Broncos with a 42-24 win after winning the regular-season finale between the two teams a week earlier to set up the rematch.
The two teams have also seen plenty of players and coaches land on both sides of the rivalry, including head coach Mike Shanahan, linebacker Bill Romanowski, and cornerback Willie Brown. That sense of familiarity certainly enhances this rivalry along with the fact these teams have played in a lot of memorable games over the years.
Since the early dominance of the Raiders, the series has leveled out a bit, with the largest split over a decade span since 1980 being Denver’s 13-7 series edge over the Raiders in the 2000s. Games between the Broncos and Raiders are often very physical, leading to some entertaining and passionate football for their fans to enjoy.
10. Top NFL Rivalries – Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
- All-Time History: Packers lead 63-56-3
- First Meeting: Oct. 22, 1961 (Packers 33, Vikings 7)
- Last Meeting: Nov. 21, 2021 (Vikings 34, Packers 31)
- Postseason History: Tied 1-1
Another bitter NFC North rivalry, the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings have hated each other since the Vikings were born in 1961. The Packers took the Vikings to school early, ripping off 10 straight wins to start the series, but the Vikings made their presence felt by taking control when they went to four Super Bowls in the span of eight years, springboarding to dominance in the 1970s with a 15-4-1 mark against Green Bay.
The relative struggles of the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions to field consistent winners in the 1990s and 2000s basically turned the division into a two-horse race between the Packers and Vikings, adding further fuel to the fire. A lot of players have suited up for both teams over the years, none more notorious than Packers’ legend Brett Favre, who landed in Minnesota (after a one-year layover with the Jets) to get revenge on Green Bay for daring to move on without him.
The Favre revenge games were some of the most hyped games in the history of the sport, including his return to Lambeau Field in 2009 when he outdueled Aaron Rodgers to lead the Vikings to a 38-26 win. The bitter rivals have also had plenty of epic showdowns in primetime, making this rivalry one that fans across the country have gotten familiar with over the years.
The fact that Green Bay is Minnesota’s closest geographic rival has certainly added fuel to this fire. The professional mirror to the college football rivalry between Wisconsin and Minnesota, Packers-Vikings is well-deserving of its spot inside the Top 10 on this list.
9. Top NFL Rivalries – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys
- All-Time History: Cowboys lead 17-16
- First Meeting: Sept. 10, 1960 (Steelers 35, Cowboys 28)
- Last Meeting: Nov. 8, 2020 (Steelers 24, Cowboys 19)
- Postseason History: Steelers lead 2-1
The lone interconference rivalry on this list, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys have established themselves as two of the NFL’s most iconic franchises. The rivalry was at its peak in the 1970s, when Pittsburgh and Dallas met in two Super Bowls and combined to collect six Lombardi Trophies over the span of that decade.
The fact that Pittsburgh moved to the AFC after the merger denied fans the chance to see more routine matchups with Dallas, but the meetings we’ve gotten have been epic. The first Super Bowl matchup came in Super Bowl X, with the Steelers escaping with a 21-17 victory after Glen Edwards intercepted a pass from Roger Staubach in the end zone to seal the win.
The victory marked the second straight Super Bowl win for the Steelers, but Dallas did get back on the board by securing a victory in Super Bowl XII. The rivals met again in Super Bowl XIII the following year with the Steelers emerging triumphant again, winning 35-31 in a contest that would feature 25 future Hall of Famers and one that many experts consider to be the greatest game ever played.
Things heated up again in the 1990s with both teams becoming contenders and meeting for a third time in the Super Bowl in Arizona, with the Cowboys winning 27-17 to finally deny the Steelers a championship. Realignment in 2002 has further reduced the matchups between the Cowboys and Steelers to once every four years, with each team scoring two wins along the way as each game has been decided by seven points or less.
8. Top NFL Rivalries – Kansas City Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders
- All-Time History: Chiefs lead 69-54-2
- First Meeting: Sept. 16, 1960 (Texans 34, Raiders 16)
- Last Meeting: Nov. 14, 2021 (Chiefs 41, Raiders 14)
- Postseason History: Chiefs lead 2-1
The old AFL rivalries that form the backbone of the AFC West are some of the sport’s fiercest grudge matches. The nastiest of them all is the longstanding rivalry between the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders with its roots going back to the very first season of the AFL, when the then-Dallas Texans met up with the Oakland Raiders in the AFL’s Western Division.
Some of the bad blood between the franchises tied back to an inherent dislike between the team’s owners, Lamar Hunt and Al Davis, that stemmed from Hunt’s role in the merger talks between the AFL and NFL. Davis, the AFL’s commissioner at the time, was left out of the loop and was furious that he was asked to fight a war with the NFL while Hunt and the other owners went behind his back to cut a deal.
The Chiefs and Raiders have always engaged in some physical battles on the field as well, with former Raiders’ defensive Ben Davidson describing those contests as heavyweight fights. Some big-name players have also been on both sides of the rivalry, with the most notable example being Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen, who signed with the Chiefs in 1993 after a noted feud with Davis went public.
Apart from a dominant Chiefs’ run in the 1990s, this series has been very close, even when the Raiders were struggling to field competitive teams. The Raiders gave Kansas City all they could handle in two meetings last season and it will be interesting to see how the rivalry changes with the franchise’s move to Las Vegas.
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.
6. Top NFL Rivalries – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
- All-Time History: Steelers lead 78-61-1
- First Meeting: Oct. 7, 1950 (Browns 30, Steelers 17)
- Last Meeting: Oct. 31, 2021 (Steelers 15, Browns 10)
- Postseason History: Steelers lead 2-1
The AFC’s oldest rivalry is also one of the NFL’s fiercest. Pittsburgh and Cleveland are separated by just 135 miles, allowing fans from both teams to make the trip to away games to add to the atmosphere of these games.
The series was extremely one-sided early on as the Browns came over from the All-American Football Conference as a powerhouse and dominated a pathetic Steelers’ franchise, racking up a 31-9 advantage before the AFL-NFL merger. The Steelers were initially an easy pick from the NFL to move to the AFC and Cleveland agreed to move with them to preserve their rivalry while starting a new one with the AFC’s Cincinnati Bengals.
Things changed dramatically with the rise of the Steelers, who won 15 of 20 meetings during the Steel Curtain dynasty years of the 1970s. The series then reached a state of equilibrium for the remainder of the Browns’ initial run in Cleveland before Art Modell moved the franchise to Baltimore, leaving the rivalry dormant for three years.
The new Browns eventually became a perennial punching bag for the Steelers, who crushed their bitter rival repeatedly after Cleveland rejoined the NFL in 1999. Things finally swung back in Cleveland’s favor a bit last season when the Browns beat the Steelers to get in the playoffs before blowing out Pittsburgh at Heinz Field to knock out their long-time rivals, setting the stage for some huge drama between the franchises in the coming years.
5. Top NFL Rivalries – Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
- All-Time History: Cowboys lead 71-54
- First Meeting: Sept. 30, 1960 (Eagles 27, Cowboys 25)
- Last Meeting: Sept. 27, 2021 (Cowboys 41, Eagles 21)
- Postseason History: Cowboys lead 3-1
Another bitter NFC East rivalry is the grudge match between the Cowboys and Eagles. The NFL also is very proud of this rivalry, showcasing it in primetime frequently, including Week 3 of this season as the Cowboys trounced the Eagles 41-21 in Dallas.
Things really heated up between the two sides in the 1980s when the Eagles started to become an NFC powerhouse. The two rivals met in the 1980 NFC Championship Game, with Philadelphia winning 20-7 at Veteran’s Stadium in a contest that became known as the Blue Jersey Game due to the Eagles’ home-field advantage forcing the Cowboys to wear their blue jerseys which many deemed to be cursed.
The hatred between the two franchises also extends to the fanbases, particularly Eagles’ fans taking glee in tormenting Cowboys’ players. Things got tense in 1989, when Dallas head coach Jimmy Johnson accused the Eagles of putting bounties on Cowboys’ players, which led to Eagles’ fans throwing objects on the field at both Dallas players, coaches and even the officials.
The bad blood has gone a bit too far at times, such as when Eagles’ fans cheered a career-ending injury to Cowboys’ wide receiver Michael Irvin, but the passion is what cements this rivalry as an all-time classic. The rivalry has also produced many memorable games over the years, making it an instant classic in NFL lore.
4. Top NFL Rivalries – Las Vegas Raiders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
- All-Time History: Raiders lead 17-13
- First Meeting: Oct. 25, 1970 (Raiders 31, Steelers 14)
- Last Meeting: Sept. 19, 2021 (Raiders 26, Steelers 17)
- Postseason History: Tied 3-3
The nastiest rivalry of the 1970s was the battle for supremacy in the AFC between the Steelers and the Raiders. Incredibly, we can actually pinpoint the exact moment that the rivalry was truly born, and it came came back in 1972 during the Immaculate Reception game.
The Immaculate Reception sent the Steelers to the AFC Championship Game and outraged the Raiders, who felt that the officials had screwed them out of a win by blowing the call. The rivalry was officially born at that point as the teams met frequently throughout the decade, delivering physical games that were highly entertaining as well.
Pittsburgh and Oakland had five consecutive playoff meetings in the 1970s with the Steelers going 3-2 over that span. The winner of the last three postseason contests went on to win the Super Bowl, signifying how dominant those two franchises were at the time.
The rivalry did cool down a bit after the 1970s in terms of physicality but the two franchises still don’t like each other to this day. The Raiders won the most recent meeting between the two teams, beating the Steelers 26-17 at Heinz Field in September, and lead the overall series 17-13.
3. Top NFL Rivalries – Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Football Team
- All-Time History: Cowboys lead 73-47-2
- First Meeting: Oct. 2, 1960 (Washington 26, Cowboys 14)
- Last Meeting: Nov. 26, 2020 (Washington 41, Cowboys 20)
- Postseason History: Washington leads 2-0
Of all the NFC East rivalries we’ve covered the fiercest has to be the one between Dallas and Washington. The combined success of the franchises includes 32 NFC East titles and eight Super Bowl victories since the Cowboys joined the NFL in 1960, making it one of the most impactful rivalries in league history.
The issues between the two teams began off the field as Washington owner George Preston Marshall almost sold his franchise to Dallas oil tycoon Clint Murchison Jr. in 1958 before backing out of the deal. Murchison retaliated by acquiring the rights to Washington’s fight song and sold them back to Marshall in exchange for his support in allowing the NFL to place the expansion Cowboys in Dallas.
Dallas and Washington dueled for the NFC East throughout the 1970s and early ’80s with Washington managing to come out on top in several key moments. The most famous contest between the bitter rivals was the 1983 NFC Championship Game, which Washington won 31-17 at RFK Stadium on their way to the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.
The rivalry has cooled a bit in recent years thanks to the near-20 years of futility in Washington after Daniel Snyder took over the team. The franchises really haven’t been good at the same time for a while which is unfortunate since this rivalry is one of the league’s signature feuds.
2. Top NFL Rivalries – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens
- All-Time History: Steelers lead 30-24
- First Meeting: Sept. 8, 1996 (Steelers 31, Ravens 17)
- Last Meeting: Dec. 2, 2020 (Steelers 19, Ravens 14)
- Postseason History: Steelers lead 3-1
This may be the youngest rivalry on the list but Ravens-Steelers has become one of the NFL’s most entertaining grudge matches. The spiritual successor to the vitriol from the old Steelers-Browns rivalry, the Ravens were born when Art Modell moved the Browns’ franchise to Baltimore ahead of the 1996 season and they maintained their hatred of the Steelers.
The rivalry itself has been very even from the start as Pittsburgh and Baltimore have combined to win the AFC North 18 times since 1996, with the teams combining to reach five Super Bowls and winning four. The games themselves have become punishing blood baths defined by hard hitting from two proud defensive franchises.
The Steelers and Ravens have also met four times in the playoffs, with the most dramatic coming in the 2010 Divisional Playoffs, when Pittsburgh rallied from a 21-7 deficit in the second half to stun Baltimore 31-24. The Ravens got their revenge five years later, beating the Steelers 30-17 in the Wild Card round to score their first postseason victory in the series.
No team has managed to string together more than five consecutive victories in the series, a sign that this rivalry is truly even. It will be interesting to see what happens on the Steelers’ end once Ben Roethlisberger is no longer under center for his bi-annual meetings with Baltimore in the next few years.
1. Top NFL Rivalries – Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears
- All-Time History: Packers lead 102-95-6
- First Meeting: Nov. 27, 1921 (Staleys 20, Packers 0)
- Last Meeting: Oct. 17, 2021 (Packers 24, Bears 14)
- Postseason History: Tied 1-1
It is perfectly fitting that the NFL’s oldest rivalry is also its best. The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears have been bitter rivals for over 100 years with the first meeting coming back in 1921, when the Bears (then known as the Decatur Staleys) shut out the Packers 20-0.
This rivalry showcases two of the NFL’s most iconic franchises as the teams have combined for 22 NFL Championships, including five Super Bowls, and have produced 65 Pro Football Hall of Famers. The series started out heavily in favor of the Bears but the Packers have chipped away over the years, taking the overall lead in 2017 and building on it since then.
One of the most famous matchups between the teams came back in 1941, when each side sported a 10-1 record to tie atop the NFL’s Western Division. A playoff matchup was necessary to break the tie with Chicago winning 33-14 on their way to the NFL Championship.
The only other postseason meeting between the teams came back in 2010, when the Packers went on the road to stun the top-seeded Bears at Soldier Field on their way to victory in Super Bowl XLV. The historic nature of the rivalry has made each matchup highly anticipated, ensuring that the Packers-Bears matchups will be hard to top in terms of great NFL rivalries.