The NFL is no stranger to heated rivalries, both between teams and individual players. While football is a team sport, the league has seen its fair share of personal battles that have added fuel to already intense matchups.
From trash talk to on-field brawls to off-field drama, these feuds have defined eras and created some of the most unforgettable moments in NFL history. Here, we rank the 20 most heated player feuds of all time.
20. Antonio Brown vs. JuJu Smith-Schuster
At first, they were teammates and close friends, but things took a turn when Antonio Brown left Pittsburgh. Brown started taking shots at JuJu on social media, questioning his abilities and leadership. JuJu fired back, and their war of words became one of the messiest breakups in Steelers history.
19. DeAngelo Hall vs. Steve Smith Sr.
These two never had a friendly word for each other. Hall and Smith frequently exchanged jabs during their battles, with Smith famously burning Hall for a touchdown and taunting him afterward. The bad blood spilled over into post-game interviews and remained one of the league’s most personal beefs.
18. Jalen Ramsey vs. Josh Allen
Ramsey called Allen “trash” before the quarterback even took his first NFL snap. Allen let his play do the talking, beating Ramsey multiple times, but that didn’t stop the cornerback from throwing more shade whenever he had the chance.
17. Jay Cutler vs. Philip Rivers
Rivers and Cutler had a long-standing rivalry that began when Cutler played for the Broncos. They exchanged plenty of trash talk, with Rivers often being the more vocal of the two. Their feud peaked during a heated Monday Night Football game in 2007, when cameras caught Rivers taunting Cutler from the sidelines.
16. Chad Johnson vs. Terrell Owens
While the two eventually became teammates in Cincinnati, their rivalry as wide receivers was full of playful but competitive trash talk. They constantly tried to one-up each other with celebrations and stats, making for some entertaining matchups.
15. Michael Crabtree vs. Aqib Talib
This feud became legendary after Talib snatched Crabtree’s chain—twice! The first incident in 2016 led to some jawing, but when Talib did it again in 2017, it erupted into an all-out brawl. The two had to be separated multiple times, and the NFL handed down suspensions.
14. Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Josh Norman
One of the most infamous single-game feuds in NFL history happened in 2015 when Beckham and Norman went after each other all game long. Helmet-to-helmet shots, wrestling moves, and full-on fights led to multiple personal fouls. Their beef didn’t end when Beckham left the Giants, as they continued exchanging shots through the media.
13. Bill Romanowski vs. Shannon Sharpe
Romanowski was known for his aggressive play, and Sharpe was never one to back down from a war of words. These two had multiple run-ins on the field, with Sharpe once saying, “The guy should be in a cage, not on a football field.”
12. Richard Sherman vs. Michael Crabtree
Sherman’s post-game interview after the 2013 NFC Championship game cemented this feud in NFL lore. His famous rant—”Don’t you ever talk about me!”—was directed at Crabtree, and their rivalry was one of the most personal of the decade.
11. Terrell Owens vs. Donovan McNabb
What started as a promising QB-WR duo in Philadelphia turned into one of the ugliest locker room feuds ever. Owens openly criticized McNabb’s leadership, and McNabb accused Owens of dividing the team. Their rift led to Owens’ departure from the Eagles and years of public jabs.
10. Brett Favre vs. Aaron Rodgers
While the two eventually made peace, the early years of Rodgers’ career were filled with tension. Favre wasn’t keen on mentoring his eventual replacement, and there was plenty of drama surrounding Favre’s multiple retirements and comebacks.
9. James Harrison vs. Rashard Mendenhall
Two Steelers teammates at odds, Harrison and Mendenhall had a falling out after Mendenhall made controversial comments about 9/11. Harrison called him out publicly, and their relationship never recovered.
8. Baker Mayfield vs. Hue Jackson
Mayfield was furious when his former head coach, Hue Jackson, took a job with the division-rival Bengals right after being fired by the Browns. The cold postgame handshakes and Mayfield’s relentless criticism of Jackson made this feud one of the more personal ones in recent years.
7. Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning (Friendly Rivalry)
While this feud was mostly built on competition rather than bad blood, the Brady-Manning rivalry defined an era. The two faced off multiple times in crucial games, and even though they respected each other, the intensity of their matchups made it one of the greatest player rivalries ever.
6. Deion Sanders vs. Andre Rison
During a 1994 matchup, these two literally started swinging at each other on the field. The physical fight was the culmination of years of trash talk, making it one of the most heated WR-DB rivalries in NFL history.
5. Cam Newton vs. Kelvin Benjamin
After being traded from Carolina, Benjamin took shots at Newton, blaming him for his lack of success. Newton confronted him before a preseason game, leading to a tense face-to-face moment that went viral.
4. Troy Aikman vs. Skip Bayless
While Bayless isn’t an NFL player, his long-standing feud with Aikman deserves a spot on this list. Bayless spread rumors about Aikman during his playing days, and Aikman has held a grudge against him ever since.
3. Aaron Rodgers vs. Greg Jennings & Jermichael Finley
Former Packers teammates Jennings and Finley publicly criticized Rodgers after leaving Green Bay. They questioned his leadership and personality, while Rodgers never shied away from taking subtle digs in return.
Read More: The 11 Best Rivalries in the NFL
2. Ben Roethlisberger vs. Antonio Brown
What started as a successful QB-WR connection ended in a dramatic fallout. Brown called out Roethlisberger for having a “huge ego,” while Roethlisberger subtly blamed Brown for team struggles. Their public spat led to Brown’s exit from Pittsburgh.
Read More: The 10 Most Iconic College Football Rivalries
1. Myles Garrett vs. Mason Rudolph
The most violent incident on this list, Garrett infamously swung Rudolph’s helmet at his head during a game in 2019. The altercation led to Garrett’s indefinite suspension and one of the ugliest moments in NFL history.
Read More: Epic Showdowns: 20 Intense Rivalries in Pro Sports History
