Top Ten Best NFL Rivalries
The Steelers and Ravens bring to life the very definition of a rivalry. Back when these two teams had the top defenses in the league, these games were full of hard hits, sacks, punts and turnovers and only a few points would determine the winner. As the defenses lost their power, they became some of the best shootout games to watch. Perhaps the best part of the rivalry is the respect for one another. Joe Flacco said beating the Steelers without Big Ben on the field just isn't the same and I'm sure Ben would say the same thing regarding Joe. Although this may be one of the newer rivalries in Steelers nation, it is by far the best, by far the biggest, and some will even argue that it is one of the best in the entire sports world.
Steelers vs Ravens is really on here twice. The Browns vs Steelers is really Steelers vs Ravens. The Ravens were the Browns fromn 1995 to who knows when? We (Steelers fans) hated the Browns, but when they moved to Baltimore, our hatred moved with them. That current team that occupies Cleveland is a joke. They've been there for 14 years and Pittsburgh has probably lost to them 2 or 3 times total. Steelers vs Old Browns/Current Ravens is the greatest rival in the NFL. If you count the 13% that is going towards Browns vs Steelers, and add it to Steelers vs Ravens, it is clear that this is, hands down, the rivalry in football!
Ravens-Steelers is the best NFL rivalry because of its intensity and genuine hatred. The Ravens and Steelers truly hate each others guts. The Ravens and Steelers have genuine disdain for each other and you also have seen that with specific players as well, especially Suggs and Ward. Also, games between the Ravens and Steelers are almost always close competitive games. A quality rivalry has to have real competitiveness to it and Ravens-Steelers certainly does. The fact that the majority of Ravens-Steelers games are low scoring as well. The feeling of rivalry tends to translate best when defense is the name of the game and most Ravens-Steelers games are defensive struggles. A final important fact is that both teams have been consistent contenders for the majority of the time the Ravens have existed and even had 3 playoff meetings so the stakes.have been high often. Every ingredient needed for a quality rivalry is here.
This has to be one of the hardest hitting rivalries ever in NFL history. So many great games decided by 3 points, so many great players, 4 Super Bowl victories between them in the last 20 years. These two teams epitomize what an NFL rivalry is supposed to be about. Even when the teams have an off year you can never count them out in these games.
Go find Mike Ditka he can give you an insider how much blood is in the water between Green Bay and Chicago. They have rivaled each other before the NFL had grown to its size today. Two of the oldest teams in the league. I remember seeing a quote by Mike Ditka saying how much he wanted to beat Green Bay at Lambeau however the issues normally followed with dealing with ice covered fields that being GB and Chicago hardly ever played in Lambeau at a time that wasn't touching about 10-5 degrees F.
George Halas vs. Earl "Curly" Lambeau. That's how old this rivalry is. The rivalry today isn't what it used to be. In the past, names like "Butkus" and "Nitchke" dominated defenses and "Starr and Sayers" the offenses. These two teams had a healthy hatred for each other. In the present, money has taken a lot of the ferocity out of the players.
Mike/Wautoma, WI
How are there any above bears packers? As soon as he colts and patriots are again no one will care about those games. It's just a fad rivalry. But the bears packers has been around since the beginning of the NFL.
I think that the Bears and Packers have the biggest rivalry. Going back in the 1920's with George Halas and Curly Lambeau they were at it. Even though the Bears have a 92-86-6 record, I think the Bears and Packers have the biggest rivalry.
I understand why Bears-Packers is higher but Ravens-Steelers. No. As a Cowboys fan Nothing I hate more then the Redskins. They are the worst team ever. I hate Washington. This really means something. This rivalry is very much higher then Steelers-Ravens. The Ravens have barley existed. Only reason, Ravens used to be the Browns.
I honestly don't know why this isn't at least number 2 on the list maybe even tied for number one (but I respect that the Packers and Bears is a MUCH older rivalry). As a Cowboy's fan I instantly hate anyone that is a Redskin fan, or anyone in our division for that matter. We all hate each other with a passion.
I know how you feel, I'm a bills gan and I HATE the Patriots, Dolphins, and Jets. The patriots are cheaters too. Also our rivalry with the dolphins started with the dolphins insulting are team.
The fact that the Colts Patriots is ahead of this is astonishing. It wasn't Colts Patriots it was Brady vs Manning. Now it is Brady Vs Mannings Successor.
Luck vs. Brady is always something fun to look forward to, even though the Pats are a better team all round.
Now its Broncos-Patriots sorry it's T. Brady vs P. Manning move out of the way Colts and A. Luck your rivalry with the Pats is done
Good rivalry, shouldn't be in the top 10 though.
Dolphins vs patriots should be in the top 7.
The Browns vs. the Steelers is the top rivalry- the real one not the phony Steelers vs Ravens. Nothing is hated more in Cleveland than the Steelers.
To be a rivalry both teams must have a decent shot at beating each other. This is completely overrated
I live in Ohio and I can confidenaly dat this is a Bert big rivalry. I al a Steelers fan and I get weird looks grom al the Browns fans. IT gun to see tegen go 0-16
Things Cleveland Browns fans hate, in ascending order: 3. Non-alcoholic beer 2. Al Qaeda 1. Pittsburgh Steelers
The hatred the fans have for each other is unmatched in sports. From the cheering of Irvin's career ending injury to the body bag game the fans wish for the other teams failure as much as their own teams success.
I was at the first Bounty Bowl at Texas Stadium in 1989. For years after that, the hatred was so intense that grocery stores in Texas would pull Philly Cream Cheese off the shelves the week we played the Eagles.
Eagles and Cowboys as of right now, are the biggest rivals in the NFC East. Which makes for interesting seasons. But to be fair, we all hate each other.
Without a doubt the greatest rivalry in football. Eagles fans are raised to say Dallas sucks as their first words.
Underrated rivalry, it may not be as historically strong as Bears-Packers, obviously who could top that history? Back to Vikings-Packers, there is lots of history between the two teams, from Antonio Freeman's improbable OT catch to Moss mooning the crowd, on top of that, fans of both teams flat out hate each other. This has all the ingredients of a fierce rivalry.
Not so much a rivalry. Packers are the older sibling with the vikings being the littlest one so they hate packers si much while packers don't see them as a threat. Bears are the brother that's just a year younger than the packers so they are the real rivalry.
Just went up a few notches after Rodgers was knocked out for the season against the Vikings last year. No penalty on the play, but Pack fans called it a dirty hit. Vikes fans told them to shut the %&#@* up. More fireworks ahead.
This rivalry is heating up again. The Vikings won the NFC North on the last game of the season by beating the Packers, and the Vikings won again at their new stadium. This will be the premier rivalry in the NFC North until Chicago or Detroit step up their game
This is our oldest rival and most hated. It doesn't matter where either team stands with the rest of the league - when these two teams meet - it's a battle - and they play like it's a super bowl.
The fans hate each other and the other team - and any player that leaves one of these teams and joins the other is a traitor and hated for life.
However, as a Falcon fan - I've made the trip to the SuperDome almost every year for over 30 years. These are the two regular season games that I would miss only through dire emergency - and the ones I hate, dread, look forward to and love the most every year.
Most Falcon fans - especially older fans - and Saints fans feel the same way.
Just look at the overall picture- Drew Brees is a better quarterback than Matt Ryan. Saints have more tradition. Better and cooler team colors and fans.
We actually won a Super Bowl. Those DIRTY BIRDS have nothing on the Saints because we are the better overall franchise. WHO that?
If we sweep the saints and lose every other game I'll smile knowing were better then those swamp rat saints. the week before we play them is a holiday, Saints hate week a time of joy of bashing those cheaters
This is definitely one of the best and most heated rivalries. Now it gets worse with both teams stadium being named after Mercedes Benz
How is this not number #1? This is the most legendary rivalry in new history. Joe Montana and Dwight Clark made the greatest play in conference championship history, then Steve young and Troy Aikman met 3 straight times in the nfc championship and things got even more heated. Seriously, this is not number #9.
While not much history here, right now, I would have to say San Francisco Seattle is the most heated rivalry in football.
The fact that when these teams met in the playoffs, the winner would go on to be the super bowl champions..
There are few football games closer and angrier than when the Broncos play the Raiders. Blood and fantastic plays are a norm, the only reason it shouldn't be higher is that the gap still exists right now. But soon you will see tremendous football again.
It's a pretty serious rivalry here in Colorado.
I feel like this rivalry isn't as well known as some just because it's the Chiefs, but any fan of them knows to just naturally hate the Raiders... or Broncos.
This should be in the top 5 and way before Broncos vs. Raiders.
Chiefs and the broncos are a good match up to.
Cowgirls suck, most of their fans are left over bandwagon fans from their "glory days" nowadays they're horrible with tony the choke artist as their QB. Nothing makes me happier then seeing the Cowboys lose. Love when the Giants block them from the playoffs.
Have always hated the Cowboys. Especially in the early 90's. Big division rivalry here.
This is on here because of the Odell Beckham catch. Saints-Cowboys is probably better.
There is a reason why this is always on Sunday Night.
BENGALS! Not Bengles. These guys are so intense -hell with it they're in the same state! They're so close! Paul Brown originally head coach of Browns now founded Bengals and boy - these teams are both even steven. Browns typically win the TNF game because Dalton chokes during prime time but Bengals dominate Browns (shut them out 30-0 in 2014) in the second divisional regular time (1PM) game. So this rivarly will fight to the end.
This a literal brother vs brother rivalry. Paul Brown founded the Browns and when he was kicked out of the organization, he founded the Bengals in spite of Cleveland. Not to mention Sam Wyche trash talking the Cleveland fans after he found trash on the field. This should be #1
Whoever wrote this needs their football card revoked...Paul Brown did not found the Browns...it was founded by Arthur McBride in 1946 and the team was named after Paul Brown
That's sad. Can't even spell bengals right.
It's northern vs southern California (ala Dodgers/Giants). This rivalry certainly lost steam when the Rams moved to St. Louis. But now that they're back in LA, it should be back on.
Man, I hate the Rams so much. This rivalry has been cold as of late, but especially since the Rams are back in California, I think it may pick up some steam.
This is one of those forever rivalries that has no end.
This is more of friends talking crap to each other but they only meet every 4 years. Not a rivalry at all. The jet fans do talk more crap but it's just because they haven't been as successful.
Ha no the Giants are better by the way the Jets haven't won a Super Bowl since the mid 1960s when Joe Namath was their Quarterback. Anyway, I hope the Jets can get back to the playoffs.
Uh the Jets are in a rivalry with the Patriots change this.
The jets are better
Sucks that both are tied for last in the NFC West as of right now (2015 - 2016 season). The niners are picking up, but the Hawks are just getting worse. I would've loved a 9ers vs Hawks NFC championship match to decide who goes to the super bowl.
This rivalry is very heated. I wonder who will win the NFC division 2015 - 2016. So far, the 9ers look strong!
This rivalry is the best in the west.
Yup the tensions between the seahawks and rams has grown tremendously over the 2010s. I'd argue it's a bigger rivalry than with the 49ers. Imagine the two meetings in the NFC Championship game one day.
They completely hate each other.
It isn't the oldest of rivalries but it's grown increasingly bitter since the 2005 wild card round in which former Bengals QB Carson Palmer tore his ACL leading to a Bengals loss. The Bengals and Steelers have never had much love for each other but with the events of the 2015 season in which there were altercations all throughout the 2nd regular season game and then the complete brutality that was the wild card playoff game resulting in numerous key injuries, personal foul calls, fines, and a suspension this rivalry has been pushed into greater prominence. It's not a traditional rivalry but there's plenty of bad blood to go around.
I broke up with a girl once because I found out she rooted for the Steelers. Never will I be associated with them. This rivalry is the most bitter in recent times, and deserves to be higher.
The Steelers and the Bengals have a very big rivalry. These two teams have fights almost every game. Whether it's the coach or the players. Almost always a fight.
The bengals haven't beaten the Steelers in 3 years.. a rivalry needs to go back and forth. Just hating each other doesn't make for a good rivalry.
I hate every single team except for the Dolphins. I hate the Jets and the Patriots, the Pats win too much and the Jets suck.
Jets and fans are just obnoxious!
How in the world is this #16?
This should be no. 1 because they always play in the real matchup rather than divisional rivals
You will never find a steelers fan that doesn't hate the cowboys
And vice versa
As my second favorite team being the Steelers, (Not for bandwagon reasons) I'd say we deserved to get murdered by the Cleveland Browns in the 2021 Wild Card.
When you see Mason Rudolph vs. Miles Garrett you know you're gonna see something special.