What Is the Oldest Rivalry in the NFL?
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The oldest rivalry in the NFL is between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. The Packers and the Bears have played each other over 200 times, with the Packers leading the all-time series.
The Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears
The Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears are two of the oldest teams in the NFL. They have been playing each other since 1921, and their rivalry is one of the most storied and intense in professional football.
The Packers and the Bears have a long history of competitive play, with each team winning its fair share of games. In recent years, however, the Packers have had the upper hand, winning eight out of the last ten matchups between the two teams.
This rivalry is about more than just wins and losses, though. It’s about pride, tradition, and bragging rights. The Packers and the Bears are two of the most popular teams in the NFL, and their fans are some of the most dedicated and passionate in all of sports.
When these two teams meet on the field, anything can happen. It’s always a must-see game, no matter who is playing.
The New York Giants and the Washington Redskins
The New York Giants and the Washington Redskins have been playing each other since 1932, making their rivalry the oldest in the NFL.
The two teams have a long history of bad blood between them, dating back to the days when they were both part of the National Football League’s Eastern Division. The Giants and the Redskins have played each other twice a year since the NFL realigned its divisions in 1967, and their clashes always seem to be heated affairs.
The Giants lead the all-time series between the two teams, with a record of 96-64-4. However, the Redskins have had more success in recent years, winning 13 of the last 20 meetings between the two rivals. The most recent meeting between the Giants and the Redskins took place in 2016, when the Redskins won 29-27.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens have been divisional rivals since the Ravens joined the AFC North in 2002. But their rivalry actually dates back much further than that.
The two teams first played each other in 1996, when the Ravens were still the Cleveland Browns. The Browns had just been moved to Baltimore and were looking for a new identity. The Steelers, meanwhile, were already one of the most successful franchises in NFL history.
The two teams quickly developed a heated rivalry, with the Steelers winning the first six games between them. But things really came to a head in 2000, when the Browns beat the Steelers in a close game that had major playoff implications.
The rivalry was put on hold when the Browns moved to Baltimore, but it was renewed with a vengeance when the Ravens joined the AFC North. Since then, the two teams have met every year, with the Ravens holding a slight edge in the overall series.
The rivalry between the Steelers and Ravens is widely considered to be one of the best in sports, and it shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
The Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins
The Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins have been bitter rivals since their first meeting in 1960. The two teams have met a total of 164 times, with the Cowboys winning 90 of those games. The rivalry is often considered to be one of the most heated in all of sports, and there is no love lost between the fans of both teams.
The rivalry between the two teams intensified in the 1970s, when both teams were consistently among the best in the NFL. The intensity reached its peak in the 1980s, when the two teams met in three consecutive NFC Championship Games (1982, 1983, and 1984). The Cowboys won all three of those games, enraging Redskins fans.
The rivalry has cooled off somewhat in recent years, as the Cowboys have struggled while the Redskins have been one of the best teams in the NFL. Nevertheless, there is still no love lost between these two bitter rivals.