In its more than 104-year history, theNFL has built rivalries that have transcended time and results. Others have emerged more recently and are associated with teams and players as well.
Two of these main rivalries will be protagonists in Week 18, the last of the 2024 regular season. Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers will face each other under very different circumstances, while Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens will define the champion of the AFC North Division.
This is the Top 10 list of the main NFL rivalries, according to historical data, research from Metro World News, and recent articles from various US sports media outlets.
1. Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers
There is no other NFL rivalry that has a history like this one. It all began in 1921 and they have faced each other 209 times. In the 2016 season, a historic event occurred when the Packers took the lead for the first time in over 80 years.
Since then, the Green Bay team's supremacy has been overwhelming, to the point that the Chicago team has not won since December 2018 and has since accumulated 11 consecutive losses. This Sunday, in the closing of the regular season with the Packers already secured in the playoffs and the Bears having a poor campaign, they will face each other again at Lambeau Field's "Frozen Tundra" with all the favoritism for the "Cheeseheads".
Given all these background details, there are many in the NFL and even in Chicago who question whether this is still a rivalry, given the stark reality of the last 15 years, especially since Aaron Rodgers (now with the Jets) became the Packers' quarterback. Once, "A-Rod" even said that he was the "owner" of the Bears.
However, in favor of it still being the main rivalry in the NFL, there are several factors.
Chicago and Green Bay are the teams with the most titles in the league: 13 for the Packers (4 in Super Bowls) and 9 for the Bears (1 in a Super Bowl).
They first faced each other in 1921 when the Chicago team was still called the Decatur Staleys and the league was only in its second season. Since then, as major players in the NFL, a great rivalry has grown between them as they are also part of the same division and therefore face each other twice a season.
Despite the great tradition of these teams, they have only met in the playoffs twice: in 1941, Chicago won (a defining game for a spot in the NFL final), and in 2010, Green Bay won (in the NFC final).
2. Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Commanders
According to Sports Illustrated, this is the biggest rivalry in the NFL.
They are two of the three largest franchises in the NFL, and that is due to the large number of fans they have and their sporting achievements. The rivalry began in the 1960s, especially when it was promoted as the showdown between the "Cowboys" and the "Redskins". Although both teams have had some setbacks in recent years, especially the Washington team now called the "Commanders", the enmity has not diminished.
Just like with the Bears and Packers, Dallas and Washington are in the same division, so they face each other twice a year.
3. Baltimore Ravens vs Pittsburgh Steelers
A young classic, but with some reminiscences of the past, from when the Ravens franchise was the former Cleveland Browns. The "Ravens" team moved to Baltimore - and changed its name and colors - in 1996. Previously in the AFC Central Division and since the realignment in 2002 in the North Division, Ravens and Steelers have made this game a battle, characterized by the fierceness of their defenses and the constant struggle for the divisional title as in this 2024 season.
They have faced each other four times in the playoffs, and three of those occasions were won by the Steelers, although the last time was a victory for the Ravens.
According to several rankings in the United States, this is currently the main rivalry in the NFL.
4. New York Giants vs Philadelphia Eagles
Another classic that enjoys a great tradition: they faced each other for the first time in 1933 and since then, it is one of the matchups that stand out in any season. Although the Giants have more titles (8), the Eagles also had their successes, especially in the late 40s.
Despite the years, the rivalry does not diminish, fueled by other sports clashes between these two cities, such as the New York Rangers against the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL, and the New York Mets with the Philadelphia Phillies in baseball.
5. New England Patriots vs New York Jets
Since the 1960s these teams have been rivals, but the animosity between the Patriots and Jets significantly intensified in the 1990s. One of the most notable episodes occurred in 1997, when Bill Parcells left his position as head coach of New England to join the New York team. His departure not only shocked fans but also planted the seed for a rivalry that would transcend the boundaries of the field.
In 1999, Parcells decided to resign as the Jets' head coach and had plans to promote defensive coordinator Bill Belichick as his successor. However, Belichick surprised by rejecting the position and later signed with the Patriots, a move that was not without controversy. Under Belichick's leadership, the Patriots not only dominated the league but also achieved an impressive record of 38 wins and 13 losses against the Jets.
However, the animosity between both teams is still alive, keeping the match between the Patriots and the Jets as one of the most anticipated of the season.
6. Atlanta Falcons vs New Orleans Saints
They have played more than 110 games between both teams, but in reality, this rivalry in the "Dirty South" has escalated in recent seasons when these teams began to gain prominence and became regular rivals for the title of the NFC South Division.
The best example is that a few years ago a group of airport workers in Atlanta threw eggs at the bus that was taking the Saints players out of the terminal.
7. Kansas City Chiefs vs Oakland Raiders
Is it one of the great rivalries in the NFL? Yes, although these days it may be hard to believe due to the significant differences between the success of the Chiefs and the failures of the Raiders. The reason is that both teams have two of the most passionate and loyal fan bases that can be found in this league.
This classic dates back to when they were members of the AFL in the 1960s and continued as divisional rivals after the merger with the NFL.
However, recently, the Chiefs have won 17 out of 20 games.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns
These cities are just two hours away by car and are among the most prominent in the "industrial belt" of the United States, so they also have several things in common. One of them is a passion for the NFL.
This is the duel with the highest number of games in the entire American Football Conference (AFC) with 147 and continues to enjoy a great tradition despite the Browns' reestablishment after the original franchise moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens.
9. Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles
Between 1967 and 1978, the Cowboys won 21 out of 23 games against the Eagles, and achieved two Super Bowls in that period, but things have leveled out in the last four decades. While Dallas added three more national titles to their record, the Philadelphia team finally won a Super Bowl in the 2017 season, and against none other than the New England Patriots led by Tom Brady.
In fact, the Cowboys have not won the National Conference since 1995 and the Eagles have been champions of the NFC three times since then.
10. Kansas City Chiefs vs Buffalo Bills
It is a recent rivalry, thanks to their quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes in the Chiefs and Josh Allen in the Bills, the best in the NFL along with Lamar Jackson of the Ravens. They have faced each other in three of the last four playoffs, all victories for Kansas City, including the famous 42-36 game in 2021 that forced a change in the postseason rules.
In 2024, the Bills ruined the Chiefs’ perfect season with a 30-21 victory on November 17th.