Longest Gaps Between NFL Meetings

The longest stretch two teams went without playing, while both were still playing other opponents. Longest wait: Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles went 19 years between meetings, 1972 to 1992.

Team

#	Series	Years	Between
1	Kansas City Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles1972 to 1992	19	1972 to 1992
2	Arizona Cardinals vs New York Jets1978 to 1996	18	1978 to 1996
3	Miami Dolphins vs New York Giants1972 to 1990	17	1972 to 1990
4	Seattle Seahawks vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers1977 to 1994	17	1977 to 1994
5	Indianapolis Colts vs San Francisco 49ers1972 to 1986	13	1972 to 1986
6	Denver Broncos vs Miami Dolphins1985 to 1998	13	1985 to 1998
7	Cincinnati Bengals vs Washington Redskins1991 to 2004	13	1991 to 2004
8	New England Patriots vs New York Giants1974 to 1987	13	1974 to 1987
9	Indianapolis Colts vs New Orleans Saints1973 to 1986	13	1973 to 1986
10	Atlanta Falcons vs Kansas City Chiefs1972 to 1985	12	1972 to 1985
11	Green Bay Packers vs Washington Redskins1988 to 2001	12	1988 to 2001
12	Indianapolis Colts vs Seattle Seahawks1978 to 1991	12	1978 to 1991
13	Buffalo Bills vs San Diego Chargers1985 to 1998	12	1985 to 1998
14	Arizona Cardinals vs Denver Broncos1977 to 1989	12	1977 to 1989
15	Los Angeles Raiders vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers1981 to 1993	12	1981 to 1993
16	Buffalo Bills vs Detroit Lions1979 to 1991	12	1979 to 1991
17	Detroit Lions vs San Diego Chargers1984 to 1996	12	1984 to 1996
18	Denver Broncos vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers1981 to 1993	12	1981 to 1993
19	Atlanta Falcons vs Indianapolis Colts1974 to 1986	12	1974 to 1986
20	Baltimore Colts vs Philadelphia Eagles1953 to 1965	12	1953 to 1965
21	Minnesota Vikings vs New York Jets1982 to 1994	11	1982 to 1994
22	Baltimore Colts vs Minnesota Vikings1971 to 1982	11	1971 to 1982
23	San Diego Chargers vs New England Patriots1983 to 1994	11	1983 to 1994
24	New England Patriots vs Seattle Seahawks1993 to 2004	10	1993 to 2004
25	Indianapolis Colts vs Los Angeles Rams1975 to 1986	10	1975 to 1986
26	Baltimore Colts vs Pittsburgh Steelers1957 to 1968	10	1957 to 1968
27	Indianapolis Colts vs New York Giants1979 to 1990	10	1979 to 1990
28	Los Angeles Rams vs Washington Redskins1951 to 1962	10	1951 to 1962
29	Detroit Lions vs Pittsburgh Steelers1973 to 1983	10	1973 to 1983
30	St. Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Raiders1973 to 1983	10	1973 to 1983
31	Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers1990 to 2000	10	1990 to 2000
32	Cincinnati Bengals vs Kansas City Chiefs1993 to 2003	10	1993 to 2003
33	Minnesota Vikings vs New York Giants1976 to 1986	10	1976 to 1986
34	Chicago Cardinals vs Detroit Lions1949 to 1959	10	1949 to 1959
35	Green Bay Packers vs Kansas City Chiefs1977 to 1987	10	1977 to 1987
36	Atlanta Falcons vs New York Giants1988 to 1998	9	1988 to 1998
37	Dallas Cowboys vs St. Louis Rams1992 to 2002	9	1992 to 2002
38	Arizona Cardinals vs Indianapolis Colts1996 to 2005	9	1996 to 2005
39	New York Giants vs Houston Oilers1973 to 1982	9	1973 to 1982
40	Kansas City Chiefs vs Los Angeles Rams1973 to 1982	9	1973 to 1982
41	Green Bay Packers vs San Diego Chargers1984 to 1993	9	1984 to 1993
42	Buffalo Bills vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers1991 to 2000	9	1991 to 2000
43	Kansas City Chiefs vs New England Patriots1981 to 1990	9	1981 to 1990
44	Kansas City Chiefs vs Washington Redskins1983 to 1992	9	1983 to 1992
45	New York Giants vs Pittsburgh Steelers1976 to 1985	9	1976 to 1985
46	New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles1990 to 1999	9	1990 to 1999
47	Philadelphia Eagles vs Pittsburgh Steelers1979 to 1988	9	1979 to 1988
48	Arizona Cardinals vs Green Bay Packers1990 to 1999	9	1990 to 1999
49	Detroit Lions vs Philadelphia Eagles1986 to 1995	9	1986 to 1995
50	New York Jets vs Philadelphia Eagles1978 to 1987	9	1978 to 1987
51	Arizona Cardinals vs Buffalo Bills1990 to 1999	9	1990 to 1999
52	Denver Broncos vs Detroit Lions1990 to 1999	9	1990 to 1999
53	Dallas Cowboys vs New England Patriots1987 to 1996	9	1987 to 1996
54	New York Jets vs Washington Redskins1978 to 1987	9	1978 to 1987
55	San Diego Chargers vs Los Angeles Rams1979 to 1988	9	1979 to 1988
56	Denver Broncos vs Tennessee Titans1995 to 2004	9	1995 to 2004
57	Chicago Bears vs Seattle Seahawks1990 to 1999	9	1990 to 1999
58	Jacksonville Jaguars vs St. Louis Rams1996 to 2005	9	1996 to 2005
59	Cincinnati Bengals vs Detroit Lions1974 to 1983	9	1974 to 1983
60	Buffalo Bills vs Chicago Bears1979 to 1988	8	1979 to 1988
61	Chicago Bears vs Pittsburgh Steelers1949 to 1958	8	1949 to 1958
62	San Diego Chargers vs Washington Redskins1989 to 1998	8	1989 to 1998
63	Atlanta Falcons vs Washington Redskins1994 to 2003	8	1994 to 2003
64	Chicago Bears vs Indianapolis Colts1991 to 2000	8	1991 to 2000
65	New Orleans Saints vs Pittsburgh Steelers1993 to 2002	8	1993 to 2002
66	Pittsburgh Steelers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers1989 to 1998	8	1989 to 1998
67	Atlanta Falcons vs San Diego Chargers1979 to 1988	8	1979 to 1988
68	Dallas Cowboys vs Indianapolis Colts1984 to 1993	8	1984 to 1993
69	Chicago Bears vs San Diego Chargers1984 to 1993	8	1984 to 1993
70	New England Patriots vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers1988 to 1997	8	1988 to 1997
71	Buffalo Bills vs New York Giants1978 to 1987	8	1978 to 1987
72	Detroit Lions vs Washington Redskins1956 to 1965	8	1956 to 1965
73	Arizona Cardinals vs Kansas City Chiefs1986 to 1995	8	1986 to 1995
74	San Diego Chargers vs New Orleans Saints1979 to 1988	8	1979 to 1988
75	Dallas Cowboys vs New York Jets1978 to 1987	8	1978 to 1987
76	Minnesota Vikings vs New England Patriots1979 to 1988	8	1979 to 1988
77	Kansas City Chiefs vs Minnesota Vikings1981 to 1990	8	1981 to 1990
78	Denver Broncos vs Indianapolis Colts1993 to 2001	8	1993 to 2001
79	Green Bay Packers vs Baltimore Colts1974 to 1982	8	1974 to 1982
80	Buffalo Bills vs San Francisco 49ers1972 to 1980	8	1972 to 1980
81	Buffalo Bills vs Dallas Cowboys1984 to 1992	8	1984 to 1992
82	Cleveland Browns vs Green Bay Packers1972 to 1980	8	1972 to 1980
83	San Diego Chargers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers1996 to 2004	8	1996 to 2004
84	New York Jets vs Pittsburgh Steelers1992 to 2000	8	1992 to 2000
85	Chicago Bears vs Cleveland Browns1972 to 1980	8	1972 to 1980
86	Chicago Bears vs Cincinnati Bengals1972 to 1980	8	1972 to 1980
87	Chicago Bears vs New York Giants1977 to 1985	8	1977 to 1985
88	San Diego Chargers vs Minnesota Vikings1985 to 1993	8	1985 to 1993
89	Detroit Lions vs Houston Oilers1975 to 1983	8	1975 to 1983
90	Cleveland Browns vs New York Giants1977 to 1985	8	1977 to 1985
91	Dallas Cowboys vs Kansas City Chiefs1975 to 1983	8	1975 to 1983
92	Arizona Cardinals vs Tennessee Titans1997 to 2005	7	1997 to 2005
93	Dallas Cowboys vs San Diego Chargers1972 to 1980	7	1972 to 1980
94	Arizona Cardinals vs Minnesota Vikings1983 to 1991	7	1983 to 1991
95	Buffalo Bills vs Philadelphia Eagles1973 to 1981	7	1973 to 1981
96	Detroit Lions vs New Orleans Saints1980 to 1988	7	1980 to 1988
97	Green Bay Packers vs Philadelphia Eagles1979 to 1987	7	1979 to 1987
98	Cincinnati Bengals vs New York Giants1977 to 1985	7	1977 to 1985
99	San Diego Chargers vs New York Jets1994 to 2002	7	1994 to 2002
100	Cleveland Browns vs Detroit Lions1975 to 1983	7	1975 to 1983

How this list works

The longest stretch each series went between two consecutive meetings, at least 3 years. A stretch is skipped when a season in between is missing games for either team, because that is a hole in the data, not a gap in the rivalry.

Each row links to the full matchup page, opened on the NFL numbers. Think you know who leads a series? Try the NFL rivalry quiz.

More NFL records

Records include games through Oct 27, 2026.

Sources

Records are computed from every final game result in the Matchup Index database. About the data.