Top 5 NFL Rivalries Of All Time

One of the most popular sports in USA, American Football is known for its passion, aggression, hits and tackles. Another thing that makes the game interesting and battle-like is the intense rivalries. These rivalries draw the battle lines not only between teams and players, but among respective fans as well. It makes fans cheer even louder for their respective teams and motivates players to make every effort to win over their opponent. To better understand this aspect of the game, let’s take a look at some of the most intense NFL (National Football League) rivalries of all time.

Philadelphia Eagles Vs. New York Giants

The seeds of this rivalry were sown in 1933 when Philadelphia Eagles joined the NFL. When playing against New York Giants, the Eagles lost in a 56-0 game, which turned out to be quite embarrassing for the team and its fans. The rivalrycontinuedover the years and became more intense in the 50’s when both teams were considered as one of the favorites. In 1960, the rivalry had reached its peak when Eagle Chuck Bednarik brought down Giant Frank Gifford in what is considered as one of the worst tackles seen in NFL.

Oakland Raiders Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers:

This rivalry dates back to early 70’s when Pittsburgh Steelers registeredtheir first playoff win against Oakland. The rivalry grew throughout the seventies, characterized by plenty of heat and bitterness, jealousy and extremely rough play on the field. The rivalry was so intense that some of it even spilled out in the courtroom. There was the deflategate scandal as well where Steelers had alleged that Raiders were deflating footballs. However, these allegations were dismissed by NFL.

Dallas Cowboys Vs. Washington Redskins

It all started when both teams faced each other for the first time in 1960. As both teams grew in theircompetitiveness and fought for supremacy, the rivalrycontinued to gain traction. Cowboys vs. Redskins rivalry has presented itself in various forms including hard competitive play in the field, harmless pranks, and funny and sarcastic commercials.

Green Bay Packers Vs. Chicago Bears:

This rivalry dates back to almost a century when Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears faced each other for the first time in 1921. The rivalry took a more prominent shape in 1924, when Packers defeated Bears 5-0. The rivalry has witnessed heated face-offs on the fields as well as funny pranks by fans. Experts feel that even after a hundred years, the rivalry is unlikely to end anytime soon.

Pittsburgh Steelers Vs. Baltimore Ravens:

It all began in 1996 when Baltimore Ravens joined the NFL and faced Pittsburgh Steelers for the first time. The fact that both these cities are located not very far from each other was one of the key reasons for this rivalry to intensify. Every football fan between Pittsburgh and Baltimore is now either with Steelers or Ravens, and they cannot stop hating each other.