Every NFL Team's Biggest Rival - All 32 Teams

September 18, 2026

Quincy dives into each NFL team's biggest rival. His rivalry list with all 32 teams from the league, such as the Steelers, Ravens, Seahawks, 49ers, and more.

Perhaps the greatest part of NFL football is the rivalries. Rivalries give fan bases an extra reason to cheer when they see certain opposing teams on Sunday. Historic rivalries also serve to tell a story for the NFL. Eagles vs. Cowboys, Steelers vs. Browns, and Cowboys vs. 49ers have long stood in the NFL.

The beauty of rivalries is that new ones can form over time. As the dominant forces in the NFL ebb and flow, so too do the important playoff matchups. In more recent seasons, we have seen the Seahawks and 49ers form a hardcore rivalry that only continues to intensify. These new-age rivalries only serve to continue moving the game forward.

As we head into the 2026 NFL season, it seems like parity around the league will be a defining factor this year. Maybe more rivalries will continue to form or solidify with new teams ascending to the top of the league. Let's dive in and check out each team's biggest rival to this point.

Arizona Cardinals - Los Angeles Rams

It is tough to have a rival when your team has historically done a lot of losing, but the Cardinals can claim the Rams. These two teams have been around for a long time, which has resulted in quite a few matchups over the years. The Cardinals have not exactly dominated this matchup, but someone has to be their rival.

Atlanta Falcons - New Orleans Saints

When Matt Ryan and Drew Brees were quarterbacking the Falcons and Saints, respectively, these two teams consistently battled it out for the NFC South title. With both teams in a rebuild mode, the rivalry has quieted down in terms of importance to playoff implications, but it is just as intense as ever.

When Matt Ryan won Offensive Rookie of the Year. @M_Ryan02 (2008)

📺: #NEvsATL-- Thursday 8pm ET on NFLN/FOX/PRIME VIDEO
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/BNI8B9xysa

— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) November 16, 2021

Baltimore Ravens - Pittsburgh Steelers

There is almost no better rivalry in the NFL than the Ravens-Steelers rivalry. This rivalry goes back to when the Ravens were formerly in Cleveland as the Browns. The Ben Roethlisberger and Ray Lewis era defined this rivalry. Hard-hitting, cold December nights are a staple between these two teams. No matter where either one is in the standings, you can always look forward to Ravens vs. Steelers.

Buffalo Bills - Miami Dolphins

You might think that the Bills' greatest rival is the Patriots. However, New England dominated the Bills throughout the 2000s and 2010s. The Bills and Dolphins, on the other hand, have traded blows since the 1970s. The Bills have owned the Dolphins in recent years, but both teams play up when the other is on the schedule.

Carolina Panthers - Atlanta Falcons

The Panthers and Falcons have been in a few battles for playoff positioning over the years. Although Carolina has been near the bottom of the division often throughout its history, they always seem to have a knack for playing the Falcons tough.

Chicago Bears - Green Bay Packers

The Bears-Packers rivalry goes way back. When both teams were near the top of the NFL, it was very exciting. In recent years, the Bears have been infamously "owned" by the Packers and Aaron Rodgers. However, the times are changing, and it looks like the Bears might be back in the fold.

Cincinnati Bengals - Pittsburgh Steelers

The Bengals and Steelers rivalry took off during the Roethlisberger era. Cincinnati was underrated during those years and was a thorn in the Steelers' side at times. These teams have played several meaningful games throughout the years.

Cleveland Browns - Pittsburgh Steelers

The AFC North has run through Pittsburgh so much that every team can claim a rivalry with them. However, Steelers-Browns goes back to the early days of the NFL. These teams hate each other, and the rivalry picked up right where it left off when the Browns returned to Cleveland in 1999.

Dallas Cowboys - Philadelphia Eagles

The Cowboys definitely have an ongoing rivalry with the 49ers as well, but the Eagles occupy the same division and are the better choice here. These teams have gone back and forth, especially over the past couple of decades. Neither squad seems to be able to secure a long-term stranglehold on the division.

TRENDING: The Eagles–Cowboys rivalry was ranked 9th among the top rivalries in American sports.

Too low? pic.twitter.com/S8zjNoa30Y

— Eagle Times (@_EagleTimes) March 22, 2026

Denver Broncos - Las Vegas Raiders

The Broncos-Raiders rivalry transcends generations. It was especially exciting when the Raiders were good in the 1970s and 1980s. It has been less compelling of late, but Las Vegas is hoping to turn things around with a new regime and a promising young quarterback in Fernando Mendoza.

Detroit Lions - Green Bay Packers

Since the Lions were bad for most of their modern existence, they have not brought much to the table in terms of rivalries. You could rotate their rivalries with any of the NFC North teams, but their disagreements with the Packers feel more historically significant.

Green Bay Packers - Chicago Bears

The Packers are the second half of perhaps the most storied rivalry in the history of the NFL. Green Bay vs. Chicago is synonymous with cold winter games that result in low scores. Both teams are in a good spot right now, which suggests that the rivalry could have some exciting days ahead.

Aaron Rodgers on today’s @PardonMyTake about the Bears’ offseason:

“I think the team is almost good enough to beat the Packers. Almost good enough.”@PFTCommenter: “Do you still take any pleasure when the Packers beat the Bears?”

Rodgers: “I love it, yeah.” pic.twitter.com/e5xtR3oeqs

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) July 22, 2024

Houston Texans - Tennessee Titans

The Texans backfilled the Titans' presence in Houston. The Titans were formerly the Houston Oilers, which gives this rivalry interesting legs. It is not the most exciting rivalry in the NFL, but these are two young teams who could make serious noise in the near future.

Indianapolis Colts - New England Patriots

The Colts-Patriots rivalry solidified during the Peyton Manning and Tom Brady eras, respectively. These two teams went toe-to-toe in the AFC playoffs over and over. Manning and Brady's careers are defined by this rivalry, with Brady getting the best of Manning more often than not.

Jacksonville Jaguars - Tennessee Titans

The Titans check in as the Jaguars' main rival as well. During the Jaguars' early history in the mid 1990s, they developed their rivalry with Tennessee. The Jaguars spent much of the 2000s and 2010s at the bottom of the league, but they have been making this rivalry more interesting in recent years.

Kansas City Chiefs - Las Vegas Raiders

The Chiefs and Raiders make up another historic rivalry. Both teams have been around since the inception of the modern NFL. The Chiefs have completely owned the Raiders and the AFC West, for that matter, in recent seasons. However, this is still a rivalry that runs deep in both fanbases.

Las Vegas Raiders - Kansas City Chiefs

Speaking of the Raiders, this passionate fanbase cannot stand the Chiefs. Granted, they cannot stand any team in the AFC West, but the Chiefs are especially maligned. Raiders fans are definitely hoping for better scores against the Chiefs soon.

Los Angeles Chargers - Denver Broncos

The rivalry between the Chargers and the Broncos goes deep into the days when the Chargers were in San Diego. Old-timer Chargers fans still cannot say John Elway's name without a bit of a snicker. The Rivalry has bled into the modern day. With both teams boasting franchise quarterbacks, it should continue to be a good one.

Los Angeles Rams - San Francisco 49ers

These two NFC West juggernauts have been trading blows for the last decade. Head coaches Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan are defining their own stories based on these matchups. There have been plenty of playoff-defining matchups in recent years. Some of which have determined who will ultimately win the Super Bowl.

Miami Dolphins - Buffalo Bills

The Dolphins have not kept up with the Bills in recent seasons, but this was a very exciting matchup back in the 1970s and 1980s. As with any rivalry, it could flip on its head at any moment.

Minnesota Vikings - Green Bay Packers

The Packers-Vikings rivalry has remained strong throughout its history. Neither team has a long stretch of complete irrelevance, which has made for some exciting matchups over the years. The Vikings have not made much history as a team, but they have had plenty of regular season matchups for the ages, particularly with the Packers.

New England Patriots - Indianapolis Colts

The Patriots have dominated their division so much in recent years that there is not much of a rivalry there. However, they certainly make up part two of the rivalry with the Colts. While less important since Manning retired and Brady left, this is still a rivalry that defined a generation of NFL fans.

New Orleans Saints - Atlanta Falcons

New Orleans is trying to get back to the Brees days, and his matchups with the Falcons were legendary. This was truly a back-and-forth rivalry in the 2010s. Although these matchups have had fewer playoff implications of late, they have still been exciting. Both teams take a lot of pride in beating the other.

New York Giants - Philadelphia Eagles

You do not want to be in a room with a New York fan and a Philly fan. These two fan bases can get easily heated, especially about each other. New York and Philadelphia go back to the 1930s, making it one of the oldest rivalries in the entire league.

New York Jets - New England Patriots

It is not much of a rivalry if one team does not bring much to the table, but the Jets do hate the Patriots. There are plenty of on-field reasons for the Jets fanbase to despise New England. However, it is the off-field reasons, such as the stealing of head coach Bill Belichick, that take this rivalry to the next level.

Six years ago today: the Butt Fumble. pic.twitter.com/NFY0TS3wTh

— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) November 22, 2018

Philadelphia Eagles - Dallas Cowboys

Talk about two fanbases who hate each other. The blue-collar persona of Eagles fans does not mesh with the showy and proclaimed "America's team" in Dallas. On the field, this is always an exciting matchup. It has truly gone back and forth over the last two decades.

Pittsburgh Steelers - Baltimore Ravens

Although the Steelers' rivalry with Cleveland goes way back, Pittsburgh's rivalry with Baltimore brings more heat. These two teams always seem to be in a showdown for the AFC North title or playoff positioning. You can always expect a late-season, low-scoring game between these two teams that is more exciting than a shootout.

Throwback to @tpolamalu's Pick-6 which sent the @steelers to the Super Bowl!

Watch Ravens vs Steelers LIVE on @SkySportsNFL on Sunday at 9:25pm.

(via @nflthrowback) pic.twitter.com/WQ0NlkX23k

— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) December 3, 2021

San Francisco 49ers - Dallas Cowboys

While not a divisional rivalry, these two teams have formed quite the playoff rivalry over the years. Dallas and San Francisco jostled for dominance in the NFC in the 1990s in particular. However, the rivalry goes back to the 1970s. It has cooled in recent years with Dallas progressing less in the playoffs, but anytime these two teams meet, it is exciting.

Seattle Seahawks - San Francisco 49ers

Seattle has developed a serious rivalry with the 49ers. The infamous 2013 NFC Championship game that saw Richard Sherman call Michael Crabtree "mediocre" is perhaps the defining moment in this rivalry. Seahawks fans can attest that there is no love lost between these fan bases.

Richard Sherman vs Michael Crabtree...

That Play... That Interview 👀#ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/icCOjsNlNh

— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) December 13, 2018

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - New Orleans Saints

The Buccaneers have historically battled with the Saints in the NFC South. The Buccaneers ended Brees' storied career in the 2020 Divisional Round, giving them major bragging rights over New Orleans

Tennessee Titans - Houston Texans

The Titans and Texans have developed a healthy little rivalry over the years. With Tennessee's roots originating in Houston as the Oilers, it adds extra intrigue to this rivalry.

Washington Commanders - New York Giants

A case could be made for the Cowboys as the Giants' biggest rival, but the Giants and Commanders had solid battles back in the 1970s and 1980s. With both teams not living near the top of the division in recent years as well, it has placed them on a similar level, allowing the rivalry to continue.

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