As fans, our biggest rivals now are probably the Philadelphia Eagles. There's no love lost there. But do the players feel the same way? Back in the day, there was real hatred between Dallas and Washington players. Do those kinds of heated rivalries even still exist today? – Adrian Washington/Los Angeles, CA
Nick: I don't think it's the same as it was before in terms of the players having a lot of beef. Maybe you still see it with division teams that have a lot of veterans. But I think the rivalry part still exists with the fans more than anything. They're the ones that haven't changed teams over the years. And they're the ones that remember the games from way back and all that. Problem is, they're not playing of course. Now they are in the stands and I think a healthy rivalry amongst fans can create a fun atmosphere in the game. But I don't think it's like it used to be where the Cowboys and Redskins just hated each other or would get into fights at charity flag football games because of the hatred. It's not like that anymore. Can you imagine Danny White leaving the field after a loss to Washington and carrying Joe Thiessman's jersey with him into the locker room because they just exchanged on the field? Ha, the thought of that literally made me laugh out loud and it's another example how things have changed.
Patrik: You bet your ass they do. If you don't believe me, just take a walk through Philadelphia as they celebrate "Dallas Week" or ask the fans of the Washington Commanders why they were chanting "We want Dallas!" after moving to 7-2 on the season and despite the Cowboys being just 3-5 at the time. As for players, I believe the same is true, at least to a degree. Eagles' players are just as turned up to face the Cowboys as the Cowboys would normally be turned up to face the Eagles, normally, and the same is true of any division matchup; and that's why nearly anything can happen in these types of games — because of the history of the organizations. So I'd venture to say that heated rivalries absolutely still exist, across the entire league, because a win just hits differently when it's at the expense of a rival.
