As with all sports leagues, there are a number of significant
rivalries between teams and notable players in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). Rivalries are occasionally created due to a particular event that causes bad blood between teams, players, coaches, or owners, but for the most part, they arise simply due to the frequency with which some teams play each other, and sometimes exist for geographic reasons.
Rivalries in the NFL are commonly recognized as such by fans and players alike. While many rivalries are well established, others are of more recent vintage, accepted as existing by the nature of the competition and history between the two teams. Other rivalries have fallen by the wayside due to league realignment and reduction in frequencies of meetings. Many modern rivalries are formed simply due to the two teams being within the same division.
Foundation
Purely geographic rivalries are rare in the NFL, since crosstown rivals do not play each other nearly as often as in other leagues that have more games and place teams closest to each other into the same divisions (and therefore more opportunities to play other teams).
For example,
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
teams face each league opponent at least six times in the regular season, and within a division as many as 19 times, while the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
scheduling policies in the 21st century ensured at least eight games (out of 82) with division rivals and ensured the two areas with multiple teams (New York and Los Angeles) had all of the teams in one area in the same division. In recent years, the NFL changed its scheduling formula to ensure every possible matchup happens within a four-year span, excluding pre-season games or the Super Bowl.
A main factor in the fact that crosstown rivals are almost always in opposing conferences is because of history: in the two current markets (New York/New Jersey and Los Angeles) that have two NFL teams, both have one team that was a member of the
American Football League
The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference. ...
(the Jets in New York/New Jersey and Chargers in Los Angeles).
As part of the
AFL–NFL merger
The AFL–NFL merger was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). It paved the way for the combined league, w ...
, all AFL teams had to be retained, even if it meant multiple teams in one metropolitan area: this was not a major issue, as the Raiders and
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
served separate parts of their metropolitan areas separated by
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a large tidal estuary in the U.S. state of California, and gives its name to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is dominated by the big cities of San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland.
San Francisco Bay drains water from a ...
, and the New York market, the most populous in the United States, supported two or more NFL teams through the 1930s and 1940s. Only in Los Angeles, which did not have two NFL teams until the Raiders moved there in 1982, has there been difficulty in supporting two NFL teams at the same time, a factor in both the Rams and Raiders leaving in 1995.
The newly merged league opted not to go through an extensive geographical realignment: instead, the AFL formed most of the AFC, with a few existing NFL teams joining the new AFC and the rest of the old NFL forming the basis of the NFC. As a result, each team ended up in an opposite conference from their crosstown rival. This allowed the combined league to retain both existing television partnerships of each league (NBC for the AFL/AFC, and CBS for the NFL/NFC) instead of choosing one or the other (ABC joined the mix in 1970 with ''
Monday Night Football
''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, AB ...
'', thus giving all of the
Big Three television networks
In the United States, there are three major traditional commercial broadcast television networks — CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System), NBC (National Broadcasting Company), and ABC (American Broadcasting Company) — that due to their longev ...
NFL rights and effectively shutting out any further potential competitors).
NFL policy currently requires any teams who play in the same metropolitan area to play in opposite conferences: in the event of any
relocation causing two teams from the same conference to share a metropolitan area, one of the two teams must move to the other conference.
Categories
Division rivals
Games between opponents in the same NFL division. Since 2002, there are 32 teams in eight divisions of four teams each. Each team plays each division opponent twice in the regular season (once at home, once away) for a total of six regular season games out of 17 total. Occasionally, two teams will play three times in a year if they meet again in the playoffs. The Chiefs, Cowboys, Packers, Dolphins, and Steelers are the only teams with winning records against all of their current division rivals for rivalries going back at least 20 years. The biggest rivalry in NFL history, Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles, is a division rivalry.
Conference rivals
Teams do not play a given conference opponent from outside their division more than once during the regular season.
However, they may meet again for a second time in the playoffs. The NFL schedules divisions to play against each other on a rotating basis, so that every team from one division will play every team from another division, for a total of four games per team. Each team will also play one team from each of the remaining two divisions within the conference that finished in the same divisional standing position in the prior year, for a grand total of 96 intra-conference games. Conference games are often important, as a team's record in common games, as well as its overall record against its conference, is sometimes used as a tiebreaker for playoff seeding at the end of the regular season. Also, many regular season opponents have met again in the playoffs, and the result of a regular season game can affect where the playoff game will be played. Conference rivals will play each other at least once every three years in the regular season, and as frequently as once every year depending on record, and can play each other in the preseason.
Inter-conference
Teams do not play a given inter-conference opponent more than once during the season unless they are to meet up in the
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
. The NFL schedules inter-conference divisions to play each other exactly once on a rotating basis within a four-year cycle. For instance, given the
2012 NFL season
The 2012 NFL season was the 93rd season of the National Football League and the 47th of the Super Bowl era. It began on Wednesday, September 5, 2012, with the defending Super Bowl XLVI champion New York Giants falling to the Dallas Cowboys ...
as a reference, the NFC East played the AFC North during the 2012 season, then the AFC West during the 2013 season, AFC South during the 2014 season, and finally the AFC East in the 2015 season before repeating the cycle. The league also schedules inter-conference games on an eight-year cycle so any particular team will both host and visit any given team in the league within eight years. Inter-conference rivals may play each other more frequently in the
preseason
In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of Se ...
, where no structured scheduling formula is used.
American Football Conference
AFC East
Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
In the AFC East rivalry between the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
and
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
, the two teams have played 106 regular season and playoff games, with the Dolphins having a 61–54–1 advantage as of the end of the 2021 season.
The intensity of the rivalry stems from the Dolphins winning 20 straight meetings in the 1970s, as well as the emergence of Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks
Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly (born February 14, 1960) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He also spent two seasons with the Houston Gamblers of the United Stat ...
for Buffalo and
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. (born September 15, 1961) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. After a successful college career at Pittsburgh and be ...
for Miami in the 1980s and 1990s. The teams have also met four times in the
NFL playoffs
The National Football League (NFL) playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held after the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Currently, seven teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs. A tie-breaki ...
, with the Bills holding a 3–1 advantage, including a victory in the
1992 AFC Championship Game.
Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots
During the
Brady–Belichick era
The Tom Brady–Bill Belichick era, also known as the Brady–Belichick era, the New England Patriots dynasty, or the Patriots dynasty, was a sports dynasty of the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL) that lasted from the ...
, this rivalry became one of the most lopsided in the league, with the Patriots controlling the series under quarterback
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
. The Bills have since turned the corner after Brady's departure to Tampa Bay, winning 4 of 5 games afterwards with quarterback
Josh Allen Josh or Joshua Allen may refer to:
* Josh Allen (offensive lineman) (born 1991), former American football player
* Josh Allen (quarterback) (born 1996), American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills since 2018
* Josh Allen (defensi ...
, including a 47–17 win in the
2021–22 NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs for the 2021 season. This was the first time that the league featured a 17-game regular season schedule, and consequently the start of the playoffs was pushed a week later to January 15, 2022. The postseason ...
. Prior to the Brady era, Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly compiled a 12–8 career record against the Patriots. The Patriots lead 77–47–1 as of the end of the 2021 season. The teams have split their two playoff meetings, with the first one being a Patriots win following the
1963 AFL season.
Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets
This rivalry is not as fierce as other AFC East rivalries, as the two teams have rarely been competitive simultaneously. The rivalry briefly heated up when former Jets coach
Rex Ryan
Rex Ashley Ryan (born December 13, 1962) is an American former football coach and analyst. Ryan was formerly the head coach of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL), and also held various coaching position ...
was coaching for Buffalo from 2015 to 2016. The Bills lead series 68–57 as of the end of the 2022 season. The Bills won the rivals' lone post-season meeting in the
1981 AFC Wild Card round.
Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots
The Dolphins lead 60–54 as of the end of week 1 of the 2022 season, but the Patriots lead the playoff series 2–1. The rivalry briefly heated up in 2005, when Patriots head coach
Bill Belichick
William Stephen Belichick (; born April 16, 1952) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Additionally, he exercises extensive authority over the Patri ...
's former Browns assistant
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou Saban Jr. (; born October 31, 1951) is an American football coach who has been the head football coach at the University of Alabama since 2007. Saban previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins ...
was hired as Dolphins head coach and when he nearly signed quarterback
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is the NFL leader in ...
with the Dolphins, as well as in 2008 when the teams were battling for the top spot in the AFC East. These Dolphins won the division, making 2008 the only in a 16-year stretch in which New England did not win the AFC East. Both teams are also the only teams in the post-merger era to post
undefeated regular season records, with the Dolphins doing so in
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
and the Patriots in
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, but only the Dolphins were able to win the Super Bowl. Recently, the Patriots have had the upper hand, posting a 26–13 record in the Tom Brady era.
Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets
The Dolphins and Jets have often competed for divisional supremacy, and have played a number of classic games. This includes the game, known in NFL Lore as the
Monday Night Miracle where the Jets erased a 30–7 lead after three quarters and won the game in overtime; as well as the famous
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. (born September 15, 1961) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. After a successful college career at Pittsburgh and be ...
fake spike game. The Dolphins lead the series at 57–55–1 as of the end of the 2021 season, while the Dolphins have won the only playoff meeting, the
1982 AFC Championship Game.
New England Patriots vs. New York Jets
Games between the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
and
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
have often played out the fierce
Yankees–Red Sox rivalry
The Yankees–Red Sox rivalry is a Major League Baseball (MLB) rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Both teams have competed in MLB's American League (AL) for over 120 seasons and have since developed what is arguably ...
in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
, as New York City and Boston are approximately 3½ hours apart by car. More recently, the Jets have tried to overcome the Patriots’ domination in the division and the conference, facing them in the playoffs twice in a five-season span. The Patriots defeated the Jets 37–16 in the 2006 playoffs, while the Jets won 28–21 in the 2010 playoffs. The series is in New England's favor, 72–54–1 as of the end of the 2022 season, including a playoff record of 2–1 against the Jets.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals–Ravens rivalry in the AFC north began when the Ravens
relocated to Baltimore. Since then, the rivalry heated up when longtime Ravens defensive coordinator
Marvin Lewis
Marvin Ronald Lewis (born September 23, 1958) is an American football coach who is the special advisor to the head coach at Arizona State. Previously, Lewis was the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League (NFL) for 1 ...
was hired as the head coach of the Bengals. The Ravens lead the all-time series 27–23 as of the end of the 2020 season.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns
The Browns–Ravens rivalry in the AFC North began when the Browns resumed operations 1999, after suspending operations for three seasons after the original Browns
moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens. The rivalry between the Browns and Ravens was more directed at former Browns owner
Art Modell
Arthur Bertram Modell (June 23, 1925 – September 6, 2012) was an American businessman, entrepreneur and National Football League team owner. He owned the Cleveland Browns franchise for 35 years and established the Baltimore Ravens franchis ...
, who orchestrated the move, than the team itself, and has, by most Ravens fans, been simply considered a divisional game. The rivalry has been largely one-sided, as the Ravens hold a 33–11 series lead as of the end of the 2020 season. The two teams have not met in the playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Ravens-Steelers rivalry in the AFC North is one of the most intense in the NFL. The Ravens and Steelers often compete for divisional supremacy. They are also known for fielding tough, hard-hitting defensive squads, giving their games an extra element of physical intensity. The Steelers lead the series 30–24 as of the end of the 2020 season, including a 3–1 record in the playoffs. The two teams have combined for eight Super Bowl championships.
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is the sports division of the American television network CBS. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on W 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on W 5 ...
ranked this rivalry as No. 2 of their best NFL rivalry of the 2000s.
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns
This rivalry, often referred to as the "Battle of Ohio" started as the result of former Browns head coach and team founder
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown (September 7, 1908 – August 5, 1991) was an American football coach and executive in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL). Brown was both the co-founder and first coach of the Clevela ...
starting the Bengals franchise after leaving the Browns. The colors of each team are similar, since Paul Brown chose the exact shade of orange used by the Browns for the Bengals, and the Bengals original uniforms were identical to the Browns uniforms, excluding the word "Bengals" on the helmet. The rivalry reached its peak during the 1980s when both teams were vying viciously for a spot in the playoffs. During the 1990s the rivalry also butted heads when Brown's sons were in charge of the day-to-day operations of the Bengals. The Bengals lead the series 52–47 as of the end of the 2022 season. The two teams have not met in the playoffs.
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The two teams have played each other twice a year since becoming division rivals in 1970. This rivalry has gained intensity since the 2000s, as the teams have met twice in the playoffs, with both games being marked by hard hits and injuries with the most infamous example occurring in the 2005 playoffs. The Steelers lead the overall series 68–39 and the postseason series 2–0. However, the Steelers have been more dominant recently, posting a record of 28–7 since 2004, when they drafted Roethlisberger. There were two times that the rivalry has met during the playoffs: the Wild Card rounds of 2005 and 2015, with the Steelers winning both meetings at Cincinnati. The 2005 game is marked as a special time in the rivalry because this is when Steelers defensive tackle Kimo Von Oelhoffen injured Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, while the 2015 game is also special due to the fact that Bengals running back
Jeremy Hill
Jeremy Hill (born October 20, 1992) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State University (LSU). After a promisin ...
fumbled the ball in the waning minutes when the Bengals had a 16–15 lead over the Steelers to give the latter one last chance. They used that chance wisely as they drove down the field (with the help of two costly personal fouls by the Bengals) and kicked a game-winning field goal.
Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Browns–Steelers rivalry is one of the most storied in the
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference (AFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest professional level of American football in the United States. The AFC and its counterpart, the National Football Conference ...
and NFL. With 138 meetings and counting, it is the oldest rivalry in the AFC. The two divisional foes have a natural rivalry due to the commonalities between the cities. It is sometimes called the Turnpike Rivalry because the majority of driving route between the two cities are connected via the
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
and
Ohio Turnpike
The Ohio Turnpike, officially the James W. Shocknessy Ohio Turnpike, is a limited-access toll highway in the U.S. state of Ohio, serving as a primary corridor between Chicago and Pittsburgh. The road runs east–west in the northern section of ...
s. The Steelers lead the series 77–61–1 as of the end of the 2020 season, including a 2–1 playoff record against Cleveland. The Steelers have dominated the series in recent years, posting a 37–9–1 record against the Browns since their 1999 return to the NFL.
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans
In one of the newer rivalries in the NFL, the Colts and Texans have intensified their animosity in recent years. Despite Indianapolis dominating the AFC South and this particular series under quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
in the 2000s, Houston has recently provided more competition, winning the division five times since 2011. Indianapolis currently leads the series 32–9–1, including a win in the postseason in 2018.
Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans
This rivalry matches the old team representing Houston (the Titans, as the
Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 as ...
) against the new team (the Texans). Though the Titans dominated the series early on, the Texans have made it more competitive as of late. A notable moment involved Texans receiver
Andre Johnson
Andre Lamont Johnson (born July 11, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver who played most of his 14-year career with the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Miami, and was drafted by ...
and Titans cornerback
Cortland Finnegan
Cortland Temujin Finnegan (born February 2, 1984) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Samford, and was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Finnegan also played for the ...
getting into a brawl during a 2010 matchup. The Titans lead the series 22–18, as of the end of the 2021 season. The two teams have never met in the playoffs.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans
This is a relatively new rivalry as the Jaguars did not begin play until , A notable moment was the season, in which the Jaguars went 14–2, with both of their losses coming to the Titans. The Titans would beat the Jaguars for a third time in the
AFC Championship Game, their only playoff meeting to date. The 1999 season was the match that ignited this rivalry with both teams topping the AFC that year, fueled further by allegations that Titans Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams had stolen the Jaguars playbook that season; and an interview where Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher referred to the Jaguars stadium as a "Second Home Field". The Titans lead the all time series 32–21 as of the end of the 2020 season, including a 1–0 postseason record, which was the aforementioned 1999 AFC Championship Game.
AFC West
Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders
During the
AFL
AFL may refer to:
Sports
* American Football League (AFL), a name shared by several separate and unrelated professional American football leagues:
** American Football League (1926) (a.k.a. "AFL I"), first rival of the National Football Leagu ...
days in the 1960s and up to 1976, the rivalry was very one-sided, with the Raiders going 26–6–2, including 14 straight wins from 1965–71. The Broncos defeated the Raiders in the
AFC championship, en route to the first
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
appearance. The Raiders won 13 out of 15 meetings from 1988–94, and held a 49–20–2 series lead by . However, the Broncos reversed their fortunes against the Raiders when
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward Shanahan (born August 24, 1952) is a former American football coach, best known as the head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 1995 to 2008. During his fourteen seasons with the Broncos, he led ...
became the Broncos' head coach in . Shanahan coached the Raiders in before being fired four games into the season, and later became involved in a lengthy contract dispute with Raiders' owner
Al Davis
Allen Davis (July 4, 1929 – October 8, 2011) was an American football coach and executive. He was the principal owner and general manager of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) for 39 years, from 1972 until his death in ...
. The Broncos went 21–7 against Oakland during the 14 seasons that Shanahan coached the Broncos (1995–2008). The Raiders lead the series 71–54–2 as of 2022. The teams have met twice in the playoffs, with each team winning one game. Since 1970, they are the most frequent matchup on ''
Monday Night Football
''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, AB ...
'', with 19 matchups.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders
The Chiefs–Raiders rivalry is considered as one of the NFL's most bitter.
Since the AFL was established in
1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Ja ...
, the Chiefs and Raiders have shared the same division, first being the AFL Western Conference, and since the AFL–NFL merger, the
AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las ...
.
The Chiefs lead the regular season series 70–54–2 as of the end of the 2021 season, including a 2–1 playoff record against Las Vegas.
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders
The Chargers-Raiders rivalry dates to the 1963 season, when the Raiders defeated the heavily favored Chargers twice, both come-from-behind fourth quarter victories. One of the most memorable games between these teams was the
"Holy Roller" game in 1978, in which the Raiders intentionally fumbled in order to score a touchdown. This somewhat controversial play resulted in a rule change the following season. On November 22, 1982, the Raiders hosted their first Monday Night football game in Los Angeles against the Chargers. The Chargers led the game in the 1st half 24–0 until the Raiders scored 28 unanswered points in the second half to win 28–24. On January 10, 2022, the Raiders defeated the Chargers in overtime, 35-32. The winning field goal was unnecessary for the Raiders' playoff chances, and if the game had ended in a tie, both teams would have made the playoffs. With the field goal, the Chargers were eliminated. The Raiders lead the series 68–57–2 as of the end of the 2022 season, including having won the only playoff game between the two teams, the
1980 AFC Championship game.
Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs lead 67–55 as of the end of the 2017 season, but the Broncos won the only playoff game between the two teams, a
1997 AFC Divisional game.
Denver Broncos vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Broncos lead 69–53–1 as of the end of the 2020 season, including having won the only playoff meeting between the two teams, a
2013 AFC Divisional game.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Chiefs lead 67–58–1 as of the end of the 2022 season, but the Chargers won the only playoff meeting between the two teams, a
1992 AFC wild card game.
Conference rivalries
Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans
Formerly divisional rivals in the AFL East, the Bills and Titans (formerly the
Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 as ...
) faced off in several high-profile games in the 1980s and 1990s, including two of the most famous postseason games in NFL history, namely
The Comeback and the
Music City Miracle
The Music City Miracle was an American football play that took place on January 8, 2000, during the National Football League's (NFL) 1999–2000 playoffs. It occurred at the end of the American Football Conference (AFC) Wild Card playoff game bet ...
.
Both of these games were franchise-altering, as The Comeback became one of the greatest moments in Bills history but was later cited as one of the reasons the Oilers moved to Tennessee,
while the Music City Miracle cemented the Titans' home in Nashville but became the start of a 17-year playoff drought for the Bills.
The series remains somewhat heated to this day, as several games since 1999 have been decided by a touchdown or less.
The Titans currently lead the all-time series 30–20, but the Bills are 2–1 in the postseason.
Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots
The Broncos lead 31–23 as of the end of the 2020 season, including a 4–1 playoff record against New England. In recent history, the Broncos and Patriots met in the postseason twice in three years, in both the 2013 and 2015 AFC Championship Games. The Broncos won both games, earning the right to represent the AFC in Super Bowls 48 and 50.
Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
As of the 2021 season, the Broncos lead the Steelers 20–13–1, and have a 5–3 playoff record. Of their eight playoff matchups, six of them eventually saw the winner play in the Super Bowl. Two of the games featured playoff upsets by the Steelers winning in 1984 and 2005.
Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots
The Colts–Patriots rivalry is one of the NFL's most famous.
The two teams combined for eight
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
victories (six by the Patriots and two for the Colts) and thirteen
AFC Championship
The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semi-final playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football league in the world. ...
s since , while both are noted for their organizational excellence.
Despite starting in the 1970s, it would gain much more attention during the 2000s since that was the peak of the
Brady-Manning rivalry. The Patriots lead 53–30 as of the end of the 2022 season, including a 4–1 playoff record.
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Miami Dolphins
One of the NFL's most prominent rivalries in the 1970s, the Dolphins and Raiders met three times in the playoffs in a five-year span. The Raiders won two of the three meetings, the last of which became known as
The Sea of Hands
The Sea of Hands refers to a significant play during the 1974–75 NFL playoffs. The Miami Dolphins were facing the Oakland Raiders in an American Football Conference (AFC) Divisional playoff game on December 21, 1974 at Oakland–Alameda County ...
game which ended Miami's two-year reign as Super Bowl champions. The Raiders were also the Dolphins' first-ever opponent in their
1966 expansion season, and also ended the team's 18-game winning streak following the Dolphins'
unbeaten 1972 season.
The Raiders currently lead the all-time series 21–19–1, and are 3–1 in the playoffs.
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Raiders–Steelers rivalry emerged in the 1970s when the two teams met in the playoffs for five consecutive seasons, included the
Immaculate Reception
The Immaculate Reception is one of the most famous plays in the history of American football. It occurred in the AFC divisional playoff game of the National Football League (NFL), between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders (now Las ...
game and three consecutive AFC Championship Games. The Raiders lead the series 17–13, but both teams spilt their six postseason meetings.
New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Both teams are currently tied with six Super Bowl championships, and have enjoyed a competitive rivalry during the 1990s and into the 2000s and 2010s. The two teams met thrice in the AFC championship in 2001, 2004 and 2016, all of which was won by the Patriots en route to winning the Super Bowl each year. Meanwhile, the Steelers won two Super Bowls in 2005 and 2008, but did not face the Patriots in either postseason run.
CBS Sports ranked this rivalry in the 8th spot of the NFL rivalries of the 2000s.
The Patriots currently lead the head-to-head series 18–16, including a 4–1 record in the playoffs.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tennessee Titans
A rivalry originally stemming from the days in which the Steelers and the then-Houston Oilers were fierce divisional opponents in the former AFC Central. The Oilers controversially lost the 1979 AFC championship game to Pittsburgh as a result of a bad call towards receiver Mike Renfro’s infamous missed touchdown that was ruled out of bounds.
The Steelers own the all-time series 48–32 as of the end of the 2021 season, including a 3–1 record over the Titans in the playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots
This rivalry stems from 4 playoff matches played between the two in the early to mid 2010s. They met in back-to-back AFC Championships (2011 and 2012) along with two other playoff match ups in 2009 and 2014; the teams have split the playoff match ups 2–2. However, the Patriots lead the all-time series 11–5 as of the end of the 2022 season.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Tennessee Titans
Despite starting in the late 1990s, the rivalry wouldn't gain intensity until the 2000s. The all-time series is tied 13–13 with the Ravens leading the playoff series 3–2; the road team has won all five playoff matchups entering
the 2021 season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
.
National Football Conference
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders
The rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and
Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) E ...
, formerly known as the Redskins, is called one of the top NFL rivalries of all time and "one of the greatest in sports" by ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
''. The two franchises have won 37 combined division titles and ten NFL Championships, including eight combined
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
s.
The rivalry started in when the Cowboys joined the league as an expansion team. During that year they were in separate conferences, but played once during the season. Since , Dallas has been in the same division as Washington. Dallas leads the all-time series 75–47–2 as of the end of the 2021 season. Despite their storied history they've only met twice in the playoffs (
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
and
1982
Events January
* January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00).
* January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...
), both times in the NFC Championship Game. Washington won both of those meetings.
In 2009, they were the two wealthiest franchises in the NFL.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The rivalry between the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
and
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
has been one of the higher profile rivalries in the NFL over the past three decades, characterized by bitterly contested games that are typical of the
NFC East
The National Football Conference – Eastern Division or NFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Dallas Cowboys ...
, with both teams often contesting for the division crown. The Cowboys have a 73-55 edge in the all-time series as of the end of the 2022 season. Since 2006, the rivalry was a frequent matchup on
NBC Sunday Night Football
''NBC Sunday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''SNF'') is an American weekly television broadcast of National Football League (NFL) games on NBC and Peacock in the United States. It began airing on August 6, 2006, with the Pro Football Hall of Fa ...
over 16 matchups as the teams are tied 8-8 going head to head, including the playoffs. The teams met four times, with the home team winning all four games and Dallas holding a 3–1 edge. The Eagles won in
1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC.
* January 9 – ...
, while the Cowboys won in
1992
File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
,
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
, and
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
.
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants
The modern rivalry dates back to the
2003 season
3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
when
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells (born August 22, 1941) is an American former football coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons. He rose to prominence as the head coach of the New York Giants from 1983 ...
took over as Cowboys head coach. After he left,
Wade Phillips
Harold Wade Phillips (born June 21, 1947) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach of the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL. He has served as head coach of the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys. He has also ser ...
coached the Cowboys to a division winning season in
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
only to see the team fall to the eventual
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
champion Giants in the
2007 Divisional playoff game, in what proved to be the final playoff game in
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was an American football stadium located in Irving, Texas, a suburb west of Dallas. Opened on October 24, 1971, it was known for its distinctive hole in the roof, the result of abandoned plans to construct a retractable roof (Cowboy ...
history. Both teams combine for a total of nine Super Bowl Championships with the Giants winning the two most recent trophies. Dallas is ahead in the all-time series 73–47–2 as of the end of the 2022 season. The aforementioned 2007 playoff meeting was their only postseason encounter.
New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The rivalry between the Philadelphia Eagles and
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
dates back to 1933. However, the competition began to heat up when both teams came to relative prominence in the 1940s and 1950s. The rivalry is mainly based on the two teams being in the same division in the NFL since 1933 and the geographic New York City–
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
rivalry. It is ranked by Sports Illustrated as amongst the top ten NFL rivalries of all-time at #4. However, the geographic rivalry between the Eagles and Giants is well known in football circles, meriting mention on ESPN.com.
The rivalry is the second-oldest of the
NFC East
The National Football Conference – Eastern Division or NFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Dallas Cowboys ...
. It has been called the greatest rivalry in NFL history. The Giants and Eagles have met four times in the playoffs, with each team winning twice. The Giants won in
1981
Events January
* January 1
** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union.
** Palau becomes a self-governing territory.
* January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...
and
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
, and the Eagles won in
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
and
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
. The Eagles currently lead the all-time series 89–87–2 as of the 2021 season.
New York Giants vs. Washington Commanders
The Giants and Washington Commanders, formerly known as the Redskins, have a storied rivalry, as well as the oldest in the
NFC East
The National Football Conference – Eastern Division or NFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Dallas Cowboys ...
, dating back to 1932 with the founding of the Redskins' predecessors, the
Boston Braves. While New York leads the rivalry, there have been great periods of competition between the two teams. On November 27, 1966, the Redskins defeated the Giants in what was then the highest scoring game in NFL history, 72-41. The teams' most notable meetings were during the 1980s where they clashed for division and conference titles to reach the Super Bowl. Between 1982–91 they combined for 8 division titles and 5 Super Bowl titles, two by the Giants (1986, 1990) and three by the Redskins (1982, 1987, 1991). New York has a 106–71–5 all-time record over Washington as of the end of the 2022 season. The Giants are the second team to mark 100 wins against another NFL franchise in 2017. (The Green Bay Packers were the first team to do so against the Lions in 2016.) The teams have met in the playoffs twice, with the Redskins shutting out the Giants 28–0 in
1943
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured.
* January 4 – ...
and New York returning the favor 43 years later in the
1986 NFC Conference Championship, winning 17–0.
Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Washington leads the all-time series 89–83–6 as of the end of the 2022 season and won their only playoff matchup in the
1990 Wild Card round 20–6.
NFC North
Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers
The Bears–Packers rivalry began in and is the league's longest.
The Packers lead the series 103–95–6 as of the 2022 season, the fourth time in NFL history that a team has recorded 100 wins against an opponent, following the Lions–Packers, Giants–Washington, and Bears–Lions rivalries.
The two clubs have won a combined 22
NFL championships
Throughout its history, the National Football League (NFL) and other rival American football leagues have used several different formats to determine their league champions, including a period of inter-league matchups to determine a true national c ...
(including 5
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
s) and have 48 members in the
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...
.
The
strike-shortened 1982 NFL season wiped out both Bears-Packers meetings scheduled for that season. Because of this, it is not the longest continuous rivalry. That goes to the Lions-Packers, who have played at least twice each season since 1932.
The rivalry has led to the Chicago–Milwaukee/Wisconsin rivalry being seen in other sports, like the
Brewers–Cubs rivalry
The Brewers–Cubs rivalry is a Major League Baseball (MLB) rivalry between the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs. Both clubs are members of MLB's National League (NL) Central Division. The rivalry is also sometimes known as the I-94 Rivalry, ...
in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
and the rivalry between the
Bulls and
Bucks in the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
.
The teams met four times in the 2011 calendar year, and the Packers won all four. They met on January 2 in the 2010 regular season finale, then three weeks later in the NFC Conference Championship Game en route to winning
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champi ...
, and then they had both meetings in the 2011 regular season. The 2013 regular season finale served as a playoff game for the NFC North Division Championship, which Green Bay won 33–28, scoring a 48-yard touchdown on fourth-and-8 with 38 seconds left.
As of Week 14 of the 2022 season, the Packers have the most all-time franchise wins (787), with the Bears a mere one win behind (786).
Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions
The Bears–Lions rivalry is an NFL rivalry between the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
and
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
. Chicago and Detroit share or have shared a sports rivalry in all four major sports (see;
Bulls–Pistons rivalry,
Tigers–White Sox rivalry, and
Blackhawks–Red Wings rivalry
The Blackhawks–Red Wings rivalry is a historic rivalry in the National Hockey League (NHL) between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. Prior to the 2013–14 league-wide divisional realignment, it was the most intense rivalry in the ...
). The franchises first met in 1930 when the Lions were known as the Portsmouth Spartans and based in Portsmouth, Ohio. They moved to Detroit for the 1934 season. The Bears and Lions have been division rivals since 1933 and have usually met twice a season since the Lions franchise began. The Bears lead the series 102–75–5 as of the end of the 2020 season.
This rivalry is also the longest-running annual series in the NFL as both teams have met at least once a season since 1930. (As mentioned above, due to the 1982 strike, both games scheduled for the Bears–Packers rivalry were not played that season.) However, one of the two meetings between both teams was canceled during Week 3 of the 1987 season, which does not make this rivalry the longest-running continuous series in the NFL (that feat belongs to the Lions–Packers rivalry, who have met at least twice a season since 1932 without any canceled meetings).
Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings
It began when the Vikings entered the league as an expansion team in 1961. The first time these two teams met, the Vikings stunned the Bears 37–13 in Minnesota. Both teams are members of the NFC North, and play at least twice a year. The rivalry is known for having had many offensive-oriented contests, and also several surprising results. The Vikings lead the overall series 61–57–2. The teams have met once in the postseason, a 35–18 Bears win in the 1994 Wild Card Round.
Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers
The Lions–Packers rivalry is an NFL rivalry between the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
and
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
. They first met in 1930 when the Lions were known as the Portsmouth Spartans and based in
Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in and the county seat of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. Located in southern Ohio south of Chillicothe, it lies on the north bank of the Ohio River, across from Kentucky, just east of the mouth of the Scioto River. ...
. The team eventually moved to Detroit for the 1934 season. The Lions and Packers have been division rivals since 1933 and have always met at least twice a season since 1932, without any canceled games between both rivals. The Packers lead the series 104–72–7 as of the end of the 2020 season, the first time in NFL history that a team has recorded 100 wins over an opponent.
Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Lions and Vikings have played twice annually since the Vikings entered the league's Western Conference in 1961. The two teams moved to the NFC Central after the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, which became the NFC North after the NFL's 2002 realignment. This is the only NFC North rivalry without any head-to-head postseason meetings. The Vikings lead the all-time series 80–41–2.
Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Packers–Vikings rivalry began in
1961
Events January
* January 3
** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015).
** Aero Flight 311 ...
, when the Vikings entered the league as an expansion team. The rivalry is known for being very close, both in the all-time series and in each game. It is also considered to be one of the most intense rivalries in the NFL, due these close games, the fact that both teams have often fought for the NFC North title, and the fact that the two states in which these teams reside (
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
and
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
) have a rivalry in many sports, seen between the
Big Ten
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
rivals, the
University of Wisconsin
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
and
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...
. Events such as
Randy Moss
Randy Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee ...
mooning
Mooning is the act of displaying one's bare buttocks by removing clothing, e.g., by lowering the backside of one's trousers and underpants, usually bending over, and also potentially exposing the genitals. Mooning is used in the English-speaking ...
the
Green Bay crowd in the first playoff game between these two teams (won by the Vikings), and former Packer great
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 20 ...
's move to the Vikings have created more resentment between these teams. The Packers lead the all-time series 63–55–3, despite the two teams splitting their two playoff contests.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints
At 100 games played, the series between the Falcons and Saints in the NFC South is the oldest and most established rivalry in the division. Born one year apart, the Saints and Falcons were the first two NFL franchises in the Deep South (Dallas being arguably southern but not in the traditional Deep South). They have shared many of the same players, such as Morten Andersen (the leading scorer in Saints History, as Falcons Kicker
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant (born May 29, 1975), nicknamed "Money Matt", is a former American football placekicker. He played college football for the Baylor Bears, and was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the AFL's Iowa Barnstormers in 2000. A ...
is now the leading scorer in Falcons history), Bobby Hebert (who quarterbacked for both teams in the 1990s), and Joe Horn (the Pro Bowl Saints receiver who left for the Falcons in 2007). They have also drawn coaches from the same families, and even shared a head coach: recent Falcons coach Jim L. Mora is the son of longtime Saints coach Jim E. Mora, and former Falcons and Saints coach Wade Phillips is the son of former Saints coach Bum Phillips. Although rarely noted by the national media—no doubt due to both teams' long stretches of futility until the opening decade of the 21st century—games between the Falcons and Saints have riveted their respective regions for more than 40 years. Fans of both teams consider the other their most important and hated opponent.
ESPN.com writer Len Pasquarelli has cited the rivalry as one of the best in all of sports: "Every year, bus caravans loaded with rowdy (and usually very inebriated) fans make the seven-hour trip between the two cities. Unless you've attended a Falcons-Saints debauchery-filled afternoon, you'll just have to take my word for how much fun it really can be."
Atlanta leads the series 53–51 (52–51 regular season, 1–0 playoffs). From 2006 onward, the teams have become consistent playoff threats, New Orleans appropriated five division titles in 2006, 2009, 2011, 2017, and 2018 while the Falcons made the playoffs in 2008 and captured the division in 2010, 2012 and 2016. Both teams have reached the Super Bowl, only once New Orleans and twice Atlanta (the Saints won
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champions New Orleans Saints and the American Football Conference (AFC) champions Indianapolis Colts to decide the National Football League (NFL) champ ...
over the Colts 31–17, while Atlanta lost
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos (who were also defending their Super Bowl XXXII championship) and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Atla ...
to the Broncos 34–19 and
Super Bowl LI
Super Bowl LI was an American football game played at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on February 5, 2017, to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2016 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New ...
to the Patriots 34–28).
New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Although the Saints and the Buccaneers have played since 1977, this matchup began a full-fledged rivalry in 2002 when the Saints and the Buccaneers moved into the same division, the
NFC South
The National Football Conference – Southern Division or NFC South is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created prior to the 2002 NFL season, when ...
. The first matchup was in 1977 at the Louisiana Superdome (now the
Caesars Superdome
The Caesars Superdome, commonly known as the Superdome (formerly known as Mercedes-Benz Superdome), is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the home stadium of the New Orleans Saints ...
) when the Buccaneers won 33–14, their first win in franchise history. The most recent match was in 2022 at
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Tampa, Florida that opened in 1998 and is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) and the University of South Florida (USF) Bulls college football program. The se ...
, where the Buccaneers pulled off a fourth-quarter comeback to win 17-16 to complete their first regular-season sweep of the Saints since 2007. The Saints are leading this rivalry 39–24, while the Buccaneers won their only playoff meeting 30–20 on January 17, 2021.
Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Although the Panthers and the Buccaneers have played since 1995, this match-up became a full-fledged rivalry in 2002 when they moved into the same division, the
NFC South
The National Football Conference – Southern Division or NFC South is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created prior to the 2002 NFL season, when ...
. This first meeting came in 1995 at
Memorial Stadium in
Clemson when the Bucs won 20–13. The rivalry only got more intense in the early to mid-2000s as both teams fought for dominance. The latest meeting came in 2022 at
Bank of America Stadium when the Panthers won 21–3. The Panthers lead the series 25–19 as of December 2022.
Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers
The Falcons–Panthers rivalry is a rivalry between the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Both franchises have a combined twelve divisional titles (eleven as members of the same division) and four Super Bowl appearances, with the Falcons appearing in Super Bowl XXXIII and Super Bowl LI and the Panthers appearing in Super Bowls XXXVIII and 50.
The Panthers and Falcons have played each other twice a year since 1995, as members of both the NFC West (1995–2001) and NFC South (2002–present) divisions. Their games have been marked by intensity, close scores, and remarkable performances. One of the famous events occurred in 2015 when the Falcons spoiled the Panthers quest for a perfect season.
It is also known as the "I-85 Rivalry" due to Atlanta and Charlotte being only four hours apart on Interstate 85. Indeed, games between the two often feature large contingents of the away team's fans visiting the stadium.
As of December 2022, Atlanta leads the rivalry 35–21.
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams
The rivalry between the 49ers and Rams began in 1950, making it one of the oldest in the NFL and in all of North American sports. The rivalry became one of the most intense in the NFL in the 1970s as the two
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
-based teams regularly competed for the NFL's
NFC West
The National Football Conference - Western Division or NFC West is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Arizona Cardinal ...
Division title. The two teams have contested 146 games, in which San Francisco leads 77–68–3. After the Rams relocated to
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
(in 1995), the rivalry had temporarily lost its geographical lore, although games still showed signs of intensity. The cultural differences between the
West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to:
Geography Australia
* Western Australia
*Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia
* West Coast, Tasmania
**West Coast Range, mountain range in the region
Canada
* Britis ...
(where the 49ers are based) and the Midwest (where the Rams were based) also briefly added to the intensity of the rivalry. In 2016, the Rams moved back to Los Angeles making the rivalry once again a battle between Southern and Northern California. For some time prior; both teams had been far less competitive within the rivalry as the Rams had failed to qualify for the postseason from 2005-16 while the 49ers had struggled to remain consistent despite two Super Bowl appearances in 2013 and 2019. Both teams would return to relevance under head coaches
Kyle Shanahan
Kyle Michael Shanahan (born December 14, 1979) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, wh ...
and
Sean McVay
Sean McVay (born January 24, 1986) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He became the youngest NFL head coach in the modern era when he was hired by the Rams in 2017 ...
respectively. The two sides also rekindled the rivalry with the addition of receiver
Deebo Samuel
Tyshun Raequan "Deebo" Samuel (born January 15, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at South Carolina and was selected by the 49ers in the se ...
gaining a notoriety of taunting against the Rams and his publicized feuding with Rams’ defensive tackle
Aaron Donald
Aaron Charles Donald (born May 23, 1991) is an American football defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh, where he received unanimous All-American honors, and ...
, as they were unable to beat the 49ers in 6 straight regular season matchups until 2022. The two teams met in the NFC Championship that year in a hard fought battle with the 49ers taking the lead heading into the 3rd quarter. However; inconsistent play on defense, multiple penalties on both sides slowly chipped away the lead as the Rams inched ahead with 4 minutes left in the game. San Francisco quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo
James Richard Garoppolo (born November 2, 1991), nicknamed Jimmy G, is an American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Eastern Illinois, where he set the school r ...
would throw a game sealing interception while evading a sack from Aaron Donald, thus giving the Rams the victory and ending the 49ers’ 6 game win streak as the Rams would eventually go on to win
Super Bowl LVI
Super Bowl LVI was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2021 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Los Angeles Rams defeated the American Football Conference ...
. ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' considers it the 8th best rivalry of all time in the NFL.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks
The
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
and
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
became divisional rivals in 2002, when Seattle moved to the NFC West. However, it was not until 2011 that the match-up became a true rivalry. The 49ers won the division in 2002, but did not have another winning season until 2011. Meanwhile, the Seahawks made the playoffs five straight times from 2003–2007 and appeared in
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion f ...
.
In 2010, the Seahawks hired former
USC
USC most often refers to:
* University of South Carolina, a public research university
** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses
**South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program
* University of ...
head coach
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at USC Troja ...
, who took the Seahawks to the playoffs in his first year, and the rivalry started growing in 2011 when the 49ers hired former
Stanford
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is considere ...
head coach
Jim Harbaugh
James Joseph Harbaugh (; born December 23, 1963) is an American football coach and former quarterback, who is the current and 20th head football coach of the Michigan Wolverines. He played college football at Michigan from 1983 to 1986. He play ...
, who also took his team to the playoffs in his first year. Carroll and Harbaugh had been intense rivals as college head coaches, and the rivalry followed them into the NFL.
The rivalry took off in 2012, when the two teams posted winning records and made the NFC playoffs during the same year for the first time. The teams split their games, with the Seahawks defeating the 49ers 42–13 on national television in a week 16 game that kept the division race alive until the final week. San Francisco ultimately won the division by a half-game and advanced to
Super Bowl XLVII
Super Bowl XLVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
(losing 34–31 to the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
), while the Seahawks lost in the NFC divisional round.
In 2013, the teams again split their games, and the Seahawks won the division by a game and went on to win
Super Bowl XLVIII
Super Bowl XLVIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for th ...
, defeating the 49ers in the NFC Championship game. All three 49ers-Seahawks games were highly anticipated that season, and most sports analysts called it the best rivalry in the NFL. Ever since then the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks fans are always eagerly awaiting this divisional round matchup.
After several years of mediocre or poor teams, the 49ers regained relevance in the 2019 season. They were the last undefeated team in the league at 8–0. On Monday Night Football, they played a pitched battle where San Francisco missed what would have been a game-winning field goal in overtime. They proceeded to lose their first game of the season when Seattle kicked a field goal on the last play of the game. The rematch between the division foes was the final game of the NFL season, with the division championship (and playoff seeding) on the line. The 49ers won this time, earning the top seed in the NFC.
Seattle leads the series 30–17 through the end of the 2021 season.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks
The rivalry between the
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...
and
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
came into existence in 2002 following the Seahawks’ relocation to the NFC West. The first notable matchup between the two clubs occurred in the 2004 NFC Wild card round when the Rams managed to defeat the Seahawks in Seattle 27–20. Much of the intensity waned as the Rams declined in competition throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, but several notable matchups between the two clubs would still occur. Only recently has the rivalry grown in animosity with notable moments of taunting or fighting occurring in addition to 2 postseason matchups. The rivalry's intensity had begun to sprout near the end of the 2010s while Seattle's iconic Legion of Boom teams had waned in competition and the Rams would begin to find success under head coach
Sean McVay
Sean McVay (born January 24, 1986) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He became the youngest NFL head coach in the modern era when he was hired by the Rams in 2017 ...
; who would boast a 9-3 record against Seattle. Multiple examples of violence have occurred such as during their first meeting of the 2018 season, the two teams met in Seattle during week 5. Early on in the game, tensions began to run high after an early scuffle between both benches after Rams wide receiver
Brandin Cooks
Brandin Tawan Cooks (born September 25, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon State, where he received consensus All-American honors, a ...
suffered an injury resulting from a controversial head-on collision from Seahawks safety
Tedric Thompson
Tedric Thompson (born January 20, 1995) is an American football safety who is a free agent. He played college football at the University of Colorado Boulder, and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.
P ...
, though no penalty was given to Seattle. The Rams held on, not to the same intensity as the season prior, but managed to pull off the victory nonetheless with a final score of 36–31. The rivalry had reached a boiling point in animosity in 2020 following a gesture from Seahawks' Safety
Jamal Adams lighting a cigar and taunting the Rams in a postgame press conference after the Seahawks had narrowly beaten out the Rams for the divisional crown during a game in Seattle. The Rams would go onto face Seattle in the wild card round of the postseason in a 30-20 battle that saw the Seahawks turn the ball over 3 times as the Rams came out on top. Following the game, Rams' cornerback
Jalen Ramsey
Jalen Lattrel Ramsey (born October 24, 1994) is an American football cornerback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State and was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars fifth over ...
voiced his own retaliatory remarks aimed at the Seahawks, proclaiming: ''They outta take their hats and t shirts down to Cabo this offseason! We sent their asses home!''.
Seattle currently owns the all time series 25-24, but the Rams are 2-0 against the Seahawks in the playoffs.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams
A resurgent rivalry in the NFL, one that dates back to the two teams first meeting during the 1937 NFL Season whilst the Rams were located in Cleveland, and the Cardinals in Chicago. The Rivalry has resurged with the Cardinals' ambitions to become a contender once again. The two would frequently clash in notable matchups during the season as the Rams experienced their own rebuild following their relocation back to Los Angeles in 2017. Los Angeles has proven to be significantly more dominant by winning 9 out of 10 games since the hiring of head coach
Sean McVay
Sean McVay (born January 24, 1986) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He became the youngest NFL head coach in the modern era when he was hired by the Rams in 2017 ...
. During the 2021 season, the Cardinals not only managed to end their 8 game losing streak against the Rams, but also stole the lead of the NFC following a shocking week 5 victory. The two teams would meet again in a Monday Night matchup culminating in a Rams' victory, the Cardinals would later go onto stumble in securing a Wild Card berth while the Rams managed to win the division. The two teams would eventually meet again in the NFC Wild Card at
Sofi Stadium
SoFi Stadium () is a 70,240-seat sports and entertainment indoor stadium in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, California, United States. SoFi occupies the former site of the Hollywood Park Racetrack, from Los Angeles International Airport an ...
the Rams' first home playoff game in their new stadium. During the third quarter, Rams' running back
Cam Akers
Cam Akers (born June 22, 1999) is an American football running back for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State, and was drafted by the Rams in the second round of the 2020 NFL Dra ...
would collide violently with Cardinals' safety
Budda Baker
Bishard "Budda" Baker (born January 10, 1996) is an American football safety for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington, and was selected by the Cardinals in the second round of th ...
, sending Baker to the hospital. Initially following the collision, Akers taunted Baker as he laid on the ground unconscious; unaware he had suffered a severe concussion. Akers would later realize the severity of Baker's injuries and issued a public apology and his support for Baker's recovery. Despite Kyler Murray's best efforts, he would be intercepted twice and one would be returned for a pick 6 as he attempted to evade a sack from Rams' linebacker
Troy Reeder. Eventually, the Cardinals would go on to suffer a brutal 34–11 loss at the hands of the Rams, the second postseason matchup between the two teams since the Rams would beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1975 NFC Divisional Game.
The Rams own the all time series 48–40–2, also winning both postseason matchups in 1975 and 2021.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks
One of the newer rivalries in the NFL, the Cardinals and Seahawks became divisional rivals after both were relocated to the
NFC West
The National Football Conference - Western Division or NFC West is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Arizona Cardinal ...
as a result of the league's realignment in 2002. This rivalry has become one of the NFL's more bitter in recent years, as the mid-to-late 2010s often saw the Seahawks and Cardinals squaring off for NFC West supremacy. Many Cardinals fans see the Seahawks as their top rival due to their 2010s dominance under quarterback
Russell Wilson
Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played his first 10 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson is widely regarded ...
and head coach
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at USC Troja ...
, although Seattle shares more intense rivalries with the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
,
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...
, and even the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
. Seattle leads the series 25–22–1, and the two teams have not yet to meet in the playoffs.
Conference rivalries
Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles lead the Falcons 21–15–1, with a 3–1 lead in playoff games. The rivalry first emerged after the Falcons upset the Eagles in the
1978 Wild Card Round, and only intensified further in the 2000s thanks to the rivalry between prominent
dual-threat quarterback
In gridiron football, a dual-threat quarterback, also known as a running quarterback, is a quarterback (QB) who possesses the skills and physique to run with the ball if necessary. With the rise of several blitz heavy defensive schemes and increa ...
s
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb (born November 25, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. Before his NFL career, he played football and b ...
and
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is a former American football quarterback. Regarded as having transformed the quarterback position with his rushing abilities, he is the NFL leader in quarterback rushing yards and was the league's firs ...
. Recently, the Eagles' path to winning
Super Bowl LII
Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the American Football Conferen ...
included a
2017 divisional round victory over the Falcons.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers
The rivalry between the Cowboys and the Packers has resulted in a number of notable games, including the "
Ice Bowl" and other games impacting the playoff race. heated up during the 2010s, with several of their games impacting the NFC playoff race during that decade. During the
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 20 ...
era in Green Bay, the Cowboys dominated the rivalry, going 9–2 (including 9–0 in Dallas) against the Packers when Favre was the quarterback. However, since
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Rodgers began his college football career at Butte College in 2002 before transferring to the ...
became the Packers' starter in 2008, they have dominated the rivalry, as Rodgers has a 7–2 record against the Cowboys, including a perfect 3–0 record in Dallas. The Packers lead the all-time series 21–17. The teams are tied 4–4 in the playoffs.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings
The rivalry between the Cowboys and the Vikings heated up during the 1970s, with several of their games impacting the NFC playoff race during that decade. The Cowboys lead the all-time series 19–15, including a 4–3 record against the Vikings in the playoffs.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Rams
The rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and the
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...
became prominent during the 1970s and 1980s. The Cowboys met the Rams eight times during that span and split those meetings. Two of those matchups decided the NFC's representative in the Super Bowl, with the Cowboys prevailing on both occasions. The two teams met again in the postseason during the 2018 NFC Divisional Round culminating in a Rams victory. As of 2022, The Cowboys lead the all-time series 19–18, with the Rams leading 5–4 in the playoffs.
Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers
The rivalry between the Packers and the 49ers heated up during the 1990s, with the two teams facing each other in four consecutive playoff games. The Packers won four of five playoff games against the 49ers with
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 20 ...
as its quarterback, with four of those games pitting Favre against 49ers' Hall of Fame quarterback
Steve Young
Jon Steven Young (born October 11, 1961) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccane ...
. Since 2012, the 49ers have defeated the
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Rodgers began his college football career at Butte College in 2002 before transferring to the ...
-led Packers four times in the playoffs.
The Packers currently lead the series 38–33–1, but the 49ers have won the last four postseason meetings to take a 5–4 lead.
New York Giants vs Green Bay Packers
Giants–Packers rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers. The two teams have played since 1970 in the National Football Conference, and they play each other in the regular season either every three years or depending on its NFC division placement, and in the postseason, The Packers lead the all-time series
34–27–2 and postseason series 5–3.
Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks
As of November 2021, the Packers lead the series 15–9 overall and 3–1 in the playoffs.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings lead the all-time series 27–18–1 and are 5–2 in the playoffs.
New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings lead the series 24–13 with a 4–1 record in the playoffs.
Historical rivalries
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The
Immaculate Reception
The Immaculate Reception is one of the most famous plays in the history of American football. It occurred in the AFC divisional playoff game of the National Football League (NFL), between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders (now Las ...
spawned a heated rivalry between the Raiders and Steelers, a rivalry that was at its peak during the 1970s, when both teams were among the best in the league and both were known for their hard-hitting, physical play. The teams met in the playoffs in each of the next four seasons, starting with the Raiders' 33–14 victory in the 1973 divisional playoffs. Pittsburgh used the AFC championship game victories over Oakland (24–13 at Oakland in 1974 and 16–10 at Pittsburgh in 1975) as a springboard to victories in
Super Bowl IX
Super Bowl IX was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Minnesota Vikings to decide the National Football League (NFL) cha ...
and
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for t ...
, before the Raiders notched a 24–7 victory at home in 1976 on their way to winning
Super Bowl XI
Super Bowl XI was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Oakland Raiders and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Minnesota Vikings to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for ...
. To date, the two last met in the playoffs
in 1983 when the eventual
Super Bowl champion Raiders, playing in Los Angeles at the time, crushed the Steelers 38–10. The rivalry has somewhat died off in the years since, mainly due to the Raiders on-field struggles since appearing in
Super Bowl XXXVII. The Raiders lead the all time series 17-13 and 13–10 in the regular season. The series is tied 3-3 in the playoffs.
Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers
The bitter rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
began in the 1970s and became prominent during the 1990s.
For three straight seasons from 1992 through 1994 the two teams met in the conference championship game. Each was a hotly contested battle whose winner went on to win the Super Bowl in every one of those seasons. The
NFL Top 10
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
ranked this rivalry to be the tenth best in the history of the NFL. San Francisco has played Dallas in eight postseason games with the Cowboys leading the postseason series 5–3. The Cowboys lead all-time series 19–18–1.
New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers
The Giants-49ers rivalry is rooted in the 1980s when both teams were on the rise and would combine to win six
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
s from 1981–90. During that stretch there were five postseason meetings between the two teams. The series is tied 21–21.
The 49ers defeated the Giants in the first two meetings (the 1981 NFC divisional round 38–24 and again in the divisional round, this time in 1984, winning 21–10) en route to victories in
Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Cincinnati Bengals to decide the National Football League (NFL) champ ...
and
Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion 1984 Miami Dolphins season, Miami Dolphins and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion 1984 San Francisco 49ers season, San Francisco 49 ...
. The Giants would defeat the 49ers in the next three playoff meetings; in the 1985 Wild Card round the Giants defeated the defending
Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion 1984 Miami Dolphins season, Miami Dolphins and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion 1984 San Francisco 49ers season, San Francisco 49 ...
champions 17–3, then crushed the 49ers 49–3 in the divisional round of the 1986 playoffs en route to winning
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the ...
, the first in the history of the Giants franchise. This game is memorable for nose tackle
Jim Burt's hit on Joe Montana that knocked him out of the game in the second quarter; Montana's pass on this play was intercepted by
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed "L.T.", is an American former professional football player who spent his entire career as an outside linebacker for the New York Giants ( 1981–1993) in the National Football League (NF ...
and Taylor ran in a 34-yard touchdown.
The two teams met again in the
1990 NFC Championship Game. In one of the most physical football games ever played, the Giants upset the 49ers 15–13, ending their hopes of winning three Super Bowls in a row while the Giants went on to win their second Super Bowl in franchise history in
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the ...
. The 49ers got their revenge in the
1993 playoffs when they defeated the Giants in the divisional round 44–3 in the last game of
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed "L.T.", is an American former professional football player who spent his entire career as an outside linebacker for the New York Giants ( 1981–1993) in the National Football League (NF ...
's and
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin Simms (born November 3, 1955) is an American former football quarterback who spent his entire 15-year professional career playing for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He is currently a television sport ...
' careers. The rivalry intensified again in the
2002 playoffs when the two clubs met in the NFC Wild Card playoff round and the 49ers behind
Jeff Garcia
Jeffrey Jason Garcia (born February 24, 1970) is a former American football quarterback. After attending high school and junior college in Gilroy, California, Garcia played college football at San Jose State University.
A four-time CFL All-Sta ...
erased a 38–14 gap for a 39–38 49ers win, a game decided on a chaotic and controversial botched field goal attempt by the Giants.
Recently, the rivalry has cooled down from its peak in the 1980s. However, during the
2011 NFC Championship Game the two met at Candlestick Park. The Giants defeated the 49ers 20–17 in overtime to go to and eventually win
Super Bowl XLVI.
Chicago Bears vs. Arizona Cardinals
The
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
and the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
are the only two teams that remain from the league's inception in 1920. At that time, the Bears were known as the Decatur Staleys and played in
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur ( ) is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois, with a population of 70,522 as of the 2020 Census. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Ce ...
, while the Cardinals were the
Racine Cardinals
The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons.
Roots c ...
and played at
Normal Park
Normal Park is the name of a former football and baseball field in Chicago, Illinois, during approximately 1914 through 1951. It was most notably the home field of the Chicago Cardinals before they moved to Comiskey Park.
The field was on a bloc ...
on Racine Avenue in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
.
After the Bears moved to Chicago in 1921, the matchup between the teams became known as "The Battle of Chicago", making it the first true rivalry in the league's history. The rivalry diminished after the Cardinals
relocated to
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
in 1960, and later to Arizona in 1988.
The Bears currently lead the series, 59–29–6.
Chicago Bears vs. New York Giants
The Bears and Giants have engaged in a long-standing rivalry that involved six NFL championship games. In the pre-Super Bowl era, the Bears won four of six championship games against the Giants, with one of the Giants' two victories involving the iconic "Sneakers Game" in the
1934 NFL Championship Game.
The two teams also met in the playoffs twice in the Super Bowl era, splitting both meetings, with the winner eventually claiming the Super Bowl.
As of 2022, the Bears lead the all-time regular season series 31–22–2, and have a 5–3 postseason record.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys lead the all-time series 17–16, but the Steelers are 2–1 against the Cowboys in the Super Bowl.
Green Bay Packers vs. New York Giants
The Packers lead 34–27–2 overall, and 5–3 in the playoffs.
Inter Conference Rivalries
Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks
The rivalry between the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
and the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
dates back to 1977, when the two clubs were
AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las ...
division rivals until the early 2000s when the Seahawks joined the NFC. The clubs have played each other in the
NFL playoffs
The National Football League (NFL) playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held after the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Currently, seven teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs. A tie-breaki ...
twice, most recently in
Super Bowl XLVIII
Super Bowl XLVIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for th ...
, in which the Seahawks defeated the Broncos 43–8.
The Broncos currently lead the overall series, 35–22.
New England Patriots vs. New York Giants
Best known for their two classic meetings in
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
and
Super Bowl XLVI, the Giants and Patriots have met 13 times, with New England currently holding a 7–6 lead. However, the Giants own a 2–0 playoff record by virtue of winning both Super Bowl matchups.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. St. Louis Cardinals/Rams
When
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...
had NFL teams, namely the
Cardinals
Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to:
Animals
* Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae
**''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
and later the
Rams
In engineering, RAMS (reliability, availability, maintainability and safety)Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
, with a trophy being awarded to the winner of each game.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Las Vegas Raiders
When the Raiders were located in
Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
, just across
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a large tidal estuary in the U.S. state of California, and gives its name to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is dominated by the big cities of San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland.
San Francisco Bay drains water from a ...
from the 49ers, this series was known as the "Battle of the Bay" until the Raiders moved to Las Vegas. Preseason games were often held annually until fan violence broke out in 2011.
Instate rivalries
New York Giants vs. New York Jets
The Giants lead the all-time series 8–6 as of November 10, 2019.
Miami Dolphins vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers lead the all-time regular-season series 7–5.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Houston Texans/Houston Oilers/Dallas Texans
The Cowboys lead their series with the Texans 7–6 and won their series with the Oilers 18–13.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles lead the all-time series 49–29–3.
Los Angeles Raiders/Los Angeles Chargers vs. Los Angeles Rams
Initially, the Los Angeles Raiders and Rams were considered to be competing in the "Battle of Los Angeles" during the Raiders’ tenure in Los Angeles from 1982–94,. However, the rivalry ended as the Rams moved to St. Louis and the Raiders returned to Oakland in the mid-1990s.
The Raiders unsuccessfully attempted relocating back to Los Angeles in 2015 following a failed joint stadium project with the then-San Diego Chargers. The intercity rivalry was revived only with the
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...
being the city’s AFC team following the Rams’ return to Los Angeles in 2016, and their relocation from
San Diego in 2017. Hostility erupted between the two clubs during a 2017 joint scrimmage at the Rams’ training camp in Irvine, CA. Rams’ cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman and Chargers’ receiver Keenan Allen initiated an altercation and multiple players rushed into the skirmish, creating an uproar from the crowd. Following the hiring of coach Sean McVay in 2017, the Rams managed to win back to back division titles, including an appearance in Super Bowl LIII during McVay’s second season as head coach. The Chargers experienced their own playoff success by boasting a 12-4 record in 2018 and making an appearance in the 2018 AFC divisional round but also losing to the New England Patriots. The Rams lead the only regular season matchup in Los Angeles thus far.
See also
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Major League Baseball rivalries
Throughout its history, Major League Baseball rivalries have occurred between many teams and cities. Rivalries have arisen for many different reasons, the primary ones including geographic proximity, familiarity with opponents, various incidents, ...
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Major League Soccer rivalries
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National Basketball Association rivalries
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National Hockey League rivalries
Rivalries in the National Hockey League have occurred between many teams and cities. Rivalries have arisen among NHL teams for many different reasons, the primary ones including geographic proximity, familiarity with opponents, on-ice incidents, a ...
References
External links
Sports Illustrated– Top 10 NFL Rivalries Of All Time
– Top 10 New NFL Rivalries
Dallas Cowboys Rivals– Bitter Dallas Cowboys Rivals of NFL History
{{NFL rivalries
Rivalries
History of the National Football League