31 Jan 1993: Wide receiver Andre Reed of the Buffalo Bills (right) runs the ball during the Super Bowl XXVII game against the Dallas Cowboys at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Cowboys won the game 52-17

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What To Know

There have been several iconic Super Bowl rivalries that helped define the franchises as NFL royalty.
Notable rivalries include the San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills in the 1990s.

Do you remember when the Super Bowl felt more like a classic football game and not a big pop culture spectacle? Back in the day, certain teams seemed destined to find each other again and again on football’s biggest stage. Some matchups became very iconic over the years. Here are a few classic Super Bowl rivalries that defined entire eras of the NFL to get you ready for this year’s Super Bowl matchup.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys
4 Sep 1988: General view of a game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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If you watched football in the ’70s, this was the matchup that felt like the main event. The Steelers and Cowboys met in three different Super Bowls, more than any other pairing in league history. Pittsburgh took the first two, winning Super Bowl X and Super Bowl XIII behind Terry Bradshaw and their legendary Steel Curtain defense. Years later, Dallas finally got a measure of revenge with a victory in Super Bowl XXX. Those games helped cement both franchises as NFL royalty. Decades later, it still stands as one of the most iconic Super Bowl rivalries ever.

Former Cowboys assistant Mike Ditka on how the two franchises saw themselves, according to Behind the Steel Curtain, “The difference was that we thought we were the best, and they knew they were the best. It’s that simple.”

San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
22 Jan 1989: Running back James Brooks #21 of the Cincinnati Bengals has help moving through the San Francisco line at Super Bowl XXIII at the Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida. The 49ers won, 20-16

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This rivalry belonged to the 1980s, and unfortunately for Cincinnati fans, it didn’t have a happy ending. The 49ers and Bengals met twice in Super Bowls during that decade, and San Francisco won both times. In Super Bowl XVI, Joe Montana led the 49ers to a 26-21 victory at the Pontiac Silverdome. Seven years later, the teams met again in Super Bowl XXIII, and Montana delivered one of the most famous late-game drives in NFL history to win 20-16. What made these games memorable was how close they were. Jerry Rice‘s record-breaking 215 receiving yards in the second matchup became part of Super Bowl legend.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills
31 Jan 1993: Quarterback Jim Kelly # 12 of the Buffalo Bills is hit by linebacker Ken Norton Jr. #51 of the Dallas Cowboys at Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Cowboys defeated the Bills 52-17. Mandatory Cre

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No Super Bowl rivalry carries quite as much bittersweet history as this one. In the early ’90s, the Buffalo Bills achieved the remarkable feat of reaching four straight Super Bowls. Two of those appearances ended with consecutive losses to the Cowboys in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII. The first game saw Troy Aikman throwing four touchdown passes in a 52-17 win. The rematch the following year wasn’t much kinder to Buffalo, ending 30-13 in favor of the Cowboys. Those back-to-back games made Dallas the dominant team of the era and left the Bills with one of the most heartbreaking legacies in sports. It remains the only time in NFL history that the same two teams met in consecutive Super Bowls.

New England Patriots vs. New York Giants
16 OCT 1994: JOHNNY JOHNSON OF THE NEW YORK JETS CRASHES THROUGH THE DEFENSE OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS DURING THEIR GAME AT GIANTS STADIUM IN EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY. Mandatory Credit:

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This rivalry didn’t happen often, but when it did, it changed NFL history. The Patriots and Giants met twice in Super Bowls during the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick era, and both times New York pulled off shocking upsets. In Super Bowl XLII, the Giants ended New England’s bid for a perfect season with a dramatic 17-14 victory. Four years later, they did it again in Super Bowl XLVI, winning 21-17. Those games turned Eli Manning into a postseason legend and gave Giants fans bragging rights. For Patriots supporters, they remain two of the most frustrating losses imaginable.

Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said after New England’s loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII, according to the Patriots website, “Very disappointing, to come this far and lose the biggest game of the year is disappointing. You prepare, you have two weeks to prepare for this game and think you’re going to put a good showing out there and both teams think they’re going to win the game. But congratulations to the New York Giants.”

Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers
Wide receiver Carlos Carson #88 of the Kansas City Chiefs can't make the reception while covered by cornerback Dwight Hicks #22 of the San Francisco 49ers during a game at Candlestick Park on November 17, 1985 in San Francisco, California. The 49ers won 31-3

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This is the most recent Super Bowl rivalry, but it has already earned its place in history. The Chiefs and 49ers have faced off twice in the modern era, first in Super Bowl LIV and again in Super Bowl LVIII. In their first matchup, San Francisco held a late lead before Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs stormed back for a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback. Their second matchup was even wilder, going all the way to overtime before Kansas City secured another championship. With Mahomes leading the Chiefs and the 49ers continuing their long Super Bowl legacy, this rivalry may not be finished yet.