The Biggest & Most Heated Rivalries of the NFL

The NFL has a long history of fierce rivalries, made more intense by the hard-hitting and competitive nature of the sport. With the sport existing for more than 100 years, teams and fans continue to form and maintain new and old rivalries.

Below is a breakdown of some of the most historic rivalries in the NFL.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys

The Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys is a historic rivalry dating back to 1961, when both teams were put in the same division. Being in the same division and playing at least two games against each other per season has led to some heated confrontations. The Cowboys dominated the Eagles in the 1960s and 1970s, winning 11 straight games from 1967–1972 and another nine straight from 1974–1978.

The next few decades saw each team spawn new NFL stars, including Terrell Owens (T.O.), Donovan McNabb, and Tony Romo. After a 2017 Eagles Super Bowl win, 2018 started off with a pre-game brawl between the two teams.

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Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers rivalry began with the introduction of the Ravens to the league in 1996. Since then, the Ravens and Steelers have had fierce battles. Located within 300 miles of each other, both teams are composed of diehard fans that would do anything for their teams. The Ravens and Steelers were even through the 2000s, with a 6-6 record between 2002 and 2007. The 2008 AFC Championship game, won by the Steelers, continued to fuel the rivalry between the two teams. The 2016 season brought an Antonio Brown touchdown catch with four seconds left on the clock to seal a victory and divisional title for the Steelers over the Ravens.

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Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers

This rivalry is rooted in enormous playoff moments. The Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers have a ton of history together that dates back to the 1960s. The two teams have met nine times in the playoffs, with the Cowboys up, 5-4. The Cowboys got numerous victories over the 49ers in the 1970s with playoff wins in 1970, 1971 and 1972. The 49ers then won the 1981 NFC Championship game with Dwight Clark’s game-winning touchdown on a pass from Joe Montana — historically known as “The Catch.” The two teams also met in three consecutive NFC Championship games in 1992, 1993 and 1994. A recent San Francisco win in the 2023 Divisional Round put the 49ers on top of the rivalry for now.

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Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The Washington Commanders vs. the Philadelphia Eagles is one of the oldest rivalries in the NFL. Starting with their first game all the way back in 1934, the Commanders and Eagles have played each other more than 175 times. The notorious and controversial 1990 “Body Bag Game” left the Eagles injuring nine Commanders players. The teams are located within 200 miles of each other, and have played against one another for almost 90 years.

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New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys

The New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys rivalry stems from both teams being in the NFC East. Since 1960, these two teams have played against each other more than 120 times. The Cowboys lead the rivalry — which is fueled by both teams competing in two annual high-stakes divisional games — with a record of 74-47-2.

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New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers rivalry started as the Buccaneers ended their abysmal 0-26 start in the league with a win over the Saints in 1977. Now both part of the NFC South Division, the Saints and Buccaneers face off twice each regular season. Their rivalry continues to be stoked, especially since Tom Brady led the Buccaneers to defeat Drew Brees and the Saints in their only playoff matchup ever in the 2020–2021 NFC Divisional round.

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Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals

Having played each other more than 45 times, the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals are strong rivals. Both in the NFC West Division, the Cardinals’ and Seahawks’ continuous battle for divisional dominance fuels the rivalry. With a 27-22-1 record favoring the Seahawks, the rivalry is as strong as ever.

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Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints

With both teams in the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons’ and New Orleans Saints’ rivalry is as hot as ever. The Falcons and Saints have incredibly loyal fans and these two teams constantly fight for regional and divisional bragging rights. The total record between these rivals is tied at 55-55. The rivalry is apparent whenever these two teams play, as Saints fans’ chants of “who dat?” are commonly answered with “dirty birds” by Falcons Fans.

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Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams

The historic rivalry of Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams dates back to 1937. Since then, the teams have a total record of 50-40-2 favoring the Rams. The rivalry recently heated up with a 2021 playoff win by the Rams. Both teams have been dominant against each other throughout their long rivalry. The Cardinals held an eight-game win streak over the Rams between 2006–2010, and the Rams retaliated with their own eight-game win streak over the Cardinals from 2017–2021.

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Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders

The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders have one of the longest-standing rivalries in the NFL. Since 1961, both teams have played each other at least two times a year. Between 1960 and 2022 they faced each other 126 times with a 76-48-2 record favoring the Cowboys. Surprisingly, the Cowboys and Commanders have only faced off in the playoffs two times: in 1972 and 1983, with both wins going to the Commanders.

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Other NFL Rivalries