NFL rivalries ignite an excitement that goes beyond the two teams' respective fan bases. Matchups like the Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers feature superstar players and have histories that even the most casual football fans can appreciate.
From record breakers to Hall of Famers, here's a look at the most notable rivalries in NFL history.
Raiders-Steelers, 1970-80s
From 1972 to 1983, the Raiders and Steelers met 13 times, including in six playoff matchups, with the Raiders going 8-5 in those games. The Steelers won four Super Bowls (1975, 1976, 1979, 1980) during that span, while the Raiders captured three (1977, 1981, 1984). The two teams split their six playoff meetings, including the Steelers winning back-to-back AFC championship games over the Raiders in 1974-75. They met in the playoffs every year from 1972 to 1976.
Giants-49ers, 1980-1990
The New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers met in the playoffs five times from 1980 to 1990, the most of any two opponents in the NFL. The 49ers won four Super Bowls (1982, 1985, 1989, 1990) during that span, while the Giants won two Super Bowls (1987, 1991). San Francisco won the first two playoff meetings en route to their first two Super Bowls. The Giants won the next three meetings in the postseason, including in 1986 and 1990 when they went on to win it all. The rivalry featured a matchup of one of the league's best offensive players in quarterback Joe Montana against the league's top defensive player in linebacker Lawrence Taylor. Montana won NFL MVP in 1989 and 1990, while Taylor was named NFL MVP in 1986 and won three Defensive Player of the Year awards (1981, 1982, 1986).
Cowboys-49ers, 1992-1995
The Cowboys and 49ers met in the NFC championship game every year from 1992 to 1994. The winner of each matchup went on to win the Super Bowl. The Cowboys won the Lombardi Trophy again in 1996, but stumbled on their way to the title in an 18-point loss at home against San Francisco in Week 11. Neither franchise has won a Super Bowl since. The 49ers came close with their heartbreaking loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.
Patriots-Colts, 2001-2010
From 2001 to 2010, the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts squared off 13 times between both the regular season and postseason. New England, led by quarterback Tom Brady, defeated the Colts in the playoffs in 2003 and 2004 en route to back-to-back Super Bowl wins. In 2006, Peyton Manning and Indianapolis overcame an 18-point deficit against Brady's Patriots to win the AFC championship. The Colts went on to capture the franchise's first Super Bowl since 1970. From 2001 to 2010, the Patriots won three Super Bowls (2002, 2004, 2005) and Brady won the 2007 and 2010 NFL MVP awards. The Colts won a Super Bowl and Manning won four of his five MVP awards (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009).
Packers-Bears, all-time
The Bears won the first meeting in 1921 and held the head-to-head series lead from that point all the way until 2017. The Packers recently ran down the Bears for the most wins by any franchise in NFL history. In December 2022, the Packers passed the Bears as the all-time wins leader, marking the first time since 1921 that the Bears did not own at least a share of the all-time wins lead. The Packers became the first team other than the Bears to own the outright lead since the Buffalo All-Americans, who had 18 wins at the time.
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