The Best NFL Rivalries: Cowboys vs. Eagles, Packers vs. Bears, and Others

 

The NFL isn't a league, it's a living, breathing battlefield of pride, history, and emotion. 

While championships create legacies, rivalries fuel the passion of fandom. 

These games aren't about standings and statistics these games are personal. 

They pit cities, cultures, and generations against each other in competition where bragging rights can be as valuable as playoff positions.

From historic battles in cold domes to hot shootouts in spotlight beams, NFL rivalries have established the league's identity. 

In this article, we explore some of the all-time and most iconic NFL rivalries, with extensive analysis of the iconic battles between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, and more that have entertained fans for decades.

#1 Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles:

First Game: 1960

All-Time Series (through 2024): Cowboys lead

Nickname: "The Brawl in the East"

The Cowboys-Eagles rivalry is a series of games, an experience far more than just a matchup. 

The two NFC East adversaries have built a decade's worth of antagonism around trash talking, playoff heartache, and fan disdain.

Why It Matters:

Philadelphia and Dallas are antitheses of the NFL cultural world. 

The Cowboys, "America's Team," have been a glamour franchise and national following for decades, while the Eagles are hard-nosed, tough, underdog grit. 

Their fan bases are a contradiction. 

Eagles fans brag they are gritty and true-blue, while Cowboys fans are perceived as flashy and national.

Notable Moments:

• 1989: Eagles coach Buddy Ryan was charged with placing a "bounty" on Cowboys players, creating scathing hostility.
• 2008 Playoffs: The Eagles trounced the Cowboys 44–6 in a season-clinching game that eliminated Dallas from playoff contention a humiliation that still haunts fans today.
• 2022: The Eagles and Cowboys fought for NFC East supremacy in a high-stakes Christmas Eve showdown.

Every time these teams play against each other, there is expected to be intensity, hostility, and playoff implications. 

Even when the teams are terrible, the rivalry is dramatic.

#2 Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears:

First Game: 1921

All-Time Series (through 2024): Packers lead

Oldest Rivalry in NFL History

This is the NFL's most vintage and iconic rivalry, with roots more than a hundred years old. 

The Bears and Packers are two of the league's original franchises, with Hall of Fame pasts, iconic coaches, and loyal fans.

Why It Matters:

This rivalry defined the NFL. 

The two clubs combined for 23 league championships, and among the epic conflicts are participants like Walter Payton, Brett Favre, Mike Ditka, and Aaron Rodgers. 

There is Green Bay small-town values and Chicago big-city attitude.

Notable Moments:

• 1985: The Bears' ferocious defense sacked Green Bay quarterbacks nine times in a ferocious win.
• 2010 NFC Championship Game: The Packers defeated the Bears on their path toward a Super Bowl XLV championship.
• 2018: Aaron Rodgers' one-legged return from being down 20–0 sparked another chapter of their storied history.

Packers-Bears is football tradition in the finest sense, steeped in history, hate, and heart-stopping games.

#3 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens:

First Game: 1996

Rivalry Record (as of 2024): Nearly even

Known For: Physical brutality and playoff wars

One of the most challenging modern-day rivalries, the Steelers-Ravens series is defined by thumping defense, bone-crushing hits, and narrow margins. 

Since the Ravens entered the league in 1996, these AFC North foes have consistently delivered classic games.

Why It Matters:

The units are matched in strength and defensive personality. 

In the early 2000s and early 2010s, games between Ed Reed/Ray Lewis and Troy Polamalu/James Harrison were gladiator battles. 

They're both playoff fixtures, and their games decide the division or send one squad home.

Greatest Moments:

• 2008 AFC Championship: The Steelers beat the Ravens in a flesh-and-blood battle, advancing to Super Bowl XLIII.
• 2016 Christmas Day Game: Antonio Brown's goal-line score gave Pittsburgh a division title, decided on the last play of the season.
• 2020s: Lamar Jackson and Kenny Pickett usher in an era of wandering quarterbacks and building offenses.

Even in their worst year, Ravens-Steelers matches are must-watch football because of sheer ferocity.

#4 New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles:

First Game: 1933

Series Record (as of 2024): Eagles lead

Key Trait: NFC East Chaos

While the Cowboys get their national spotlight, Giants vs. Eagles is the bitterest NFC East rivalry. 

Fueled by territorial intersection and shared divisional championship, the teams loathe each other. 

Eagles and Giants supporters make the trek quite often to face off at their respective opponents' domes, and those contests are hardly friendly.

Why It Matters:

This is a rivalry that transcends championships it's about ruining each other's seasons. 

New York and Philly are old-school football towns with long-suffering but blue-collar fans. 

Each game is a battle of blue-collar principles and city pride.

Highlights:

• 2010 "Miracle at the New Meadowlands": DeSean Jackson's walk-off punt return touchdown stunned the Giants and became an all-time highlight.
• 2006–2008: The teams played each other multiple times in the playoffs, which helped fuel the rivalry.
• 2022 Playoffs: The Eagles beat the Giants on their path to a Super Bowl, reigniting animosity.

These matches are unpredictable, aggressive, and typically season-defining.

#5 San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks:

First Game: 1976

Rivalry Ignites: 2012

Fueled By: Harbaugh vs. Carroll, Wilson vs. Kaepernick

This was a rivalry that gained national steam in the 2010s when both teams were powerhouses of the NFC West. 

With stout defenses, run-based quarterbacks, and hot-headed coaches, the 49ers-Seahawks games were revenge-style affairs for bragging rights.

Why It Matters:

The Seahawks and 49ers have fought in games with division titles and Super Bowl spots on the line. 

From the Legion of Boom to the 49ers' resurgence under Kyle Shanahan, the vendetta is freshly burned.

Notable Moments:

• 2013 NFC Championship Game: Richard Sherman's deflection on the game-winning play and post-game tirade put this rivalry on a legend pedestal.
• 2019 Week 17: A #1 seed season-defining game was finished off by San Francisco's goal-line stand.
• 2022–2023: As both teams emerge as champions yet again, the rivalry is brewing for a fresh generation.

Despite being younger than some, this rivalry is white-hot and still in the making.

#6 New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts:

First Game: 1970

Rivalry Peak: 2000s Brady vs. Manning Era

Emotion Factor: Quarterback Greatness

This was not a geographic rivalry it was a battle of legacy. 

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning's clashes from 2001–2015 made Patriots-Colts a marquee game, even though they were in different divisions.

Why It Matters:

Brady's physical dominance over Manning's mental brilliance was a perfect clash of styles. 

The games were chess matches with Super Bowl stakes. 

The Colts' move from the AFC East to the AFC South only intensified the passion of the rivalry.

Their rivalry created many highlight moments.

• 2006 AFC Championship: Manning finally beat the Patriots and won his first Super Bowl.
• 2003 & 2004 Playoffs: Brady beat Manning en route to two championships.
• "Deflategate": The rivalry even spawned one of the biggest NFL scandals.

Even though the rivalry has faded, its legacy remains one of the most quarterback-centric in NFL history.

Ultimately : Rivalries Make the NFL

Rivalries are the NFL's lifeblood. 

They are what bring fans and split them. 

They create eternal plays, legendary performances, and decades-long storylines. 

It may be the old Packers-Bears, the bitter Cowboys-Eagles, or newer rivalries such as 49ers-Seahawks, these games are more than standings and statistics.