Nothing gets sports fans more amped than seeing their NFL team square off against an old rival. Whether it’s about bragging rights, past beef, or two powerhouses battling for titles, rivalries bring extra juice to the field — and it’s about more than just points.
From Boca Juniors vs. River Plate in Argentine soccer, to the Yankees and Red Sox in MLB, to personal showdowns like Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, rivalries have given us some of the most intense, unforgettable moments in sports history.
The NFL is no different. Sure, coaches say every game matters, but let’s be real — rivalry games hit different. Pride’s on the line. Some matchups date back nearly a century, and some are newer but no less fierce.
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Top 5 Rivalries in the NFL
Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears
Packers lead series: 108-96-6
The rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears is the oldest in the NFL, with teams clashing 208 times in the regular season. Surprisingly, they’ve only met twice in the playoffs, splitting those games. The latest came in the NFC Championship, where Green Bay pulled out a 21-14 win — highlighted by a wild pick-six from nose tackle B.J. Raji.
Green Bay went on to win the Super Bowl that year, making it four titles in five appearances. The Bears? They’ve got one win in two Super Bowl trips, trailing their rivals in that category, too.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens
Steelers lead series: 36-27
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens have gone at it 58 times in the regular season and five more times in the playoffs. Pittsburgh has had the upper hand lately, winning eight of the last 10 regular-season matchups. The Steelers won the first three postseason meetings, but the Ravens took the last two.
Pittsburgh owns six Super Bowl titles. Baltimore has two — both coming since the franchise was founded in 1996. Known as one of the league’s toughest, most physical rivalries, this AFC North battle is always a must-watch.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Cowboys lead series: 74-58
The Dallas Cowboys still hold the edge in this long-running NFC East rivalry, but the Philadelphia Eagles have been making noise in recent years. After coming up empty in two Super Bowl appearances before 2017, Philly has since been to three more — and won two.
The Cowboys have five Super Bowl wins but haven’t reached an NFC Championship game since the mid-1990s. The rivalry has been relatively even, but Dallas had a dominant run between 1967 and 1978, winning 21 of 23 matchups.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks
Seahawks lead series: 31-23
The Seattle Seahawks’ path to NFC West membership wasn’t straightforward — they bounced between conferences after joining the NFL in 1976. But when they landed back in the NFC in 2002, it kicked off a new and heated rivalry with the 49ers.
When Pete Carroll took over the Seahawks and Jim Harbaugh joined the San Francisco 49ers, things took off. Their college feud — Harbaugh’s Stanford taking down Carroll’s USC — carried over into the NFL, which turned up the heat quickly.
In the early 2010s, both teams were Super Bowl contenders. Richard Sherman, never shy, played a key role in turning up the tension. Lately, the 49ers have had more success overall, but they’ve lost two Super Bowls and two conference title games over the last six seasons.
New England Patriots vs. New York Jets
Patriots lead series: 75-56
This rivalry dates back to 1960. But things really got spicy in the late ’90s when Bill Parcells left the New England Patriots — right after a Super Bowl run — to take over the New York Jets.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft accused the Jets of tampering, and the commissioner had to step in. Then, when Parcells left in 2000, the Jets tried to promote Bill Belichick, but the Patriots swooped in, sending a first-round pick to get him. The rest, of course, is history.
New England’s dominance under Belichick and Tom Brady made this feel like a one-sided affair for years. But since Brady’s exit, both franchises have struggled to reclaim their former glory.
