There are few things more compelling than an incendiary rivalry, and the world of football spurred several conflicts throughout 2017.
Whether it was the erosion of the line between sports and politics or a few physical altercations on the field, this year produced no shortage of attention-grabbing antagonism.
Below are the five best rivalries of the 2017 season.
Donald Trump vs. the NFL
President Trump's first year in office has been characterized by scandal, and he's been quick to chastise anyone who has wronged him or his policy goals. In starting a war against the NFL, though, he became an accidental agent of social change.
During a September rally in Huntsville, Ala., Trump blasted players who were protesting police brutality and racial inequality during the national anthem, and encouraged owners to fire players who continued such demonstrations. Although the NFL as a whole has tried to be publicly apolitical in the past, Trump's comments unified players and owners from different sides of the political spectrum to take a stand against him.
As a result of his remarks, player protests became louder and larger, and many owners condemned the president's comments. Trump, in turn, refused to cede his position. He tweeted numerous times about the NFL's declining ratings, and called the league "weak and out of control" in November.
A week after the rally, the Seahawks announced the creation of the Seahawks Players Equality & Justice for All Action Fund, which supports education and leadership programs that address those issues. In November, a group of players created the Players Coalition to address and fund social activism initiatives, focusing on African-American communities.
Before Trump's speech in Alabama, the NFL couldn't exactly be described as socially conscious. The president came out on the losing end of this rivalry, and it's uncertain whether he'll continue on the offensive in 2018.
Jerry Jones vs. Roger Goodell
It's certainly not uncommon for owners to be at odds with Roger Goodell, but Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones tried to leverage his status as one of the league's most influential actors in a public battle with the commissioner - and found out none of his peers were on his side.
When Jones vehemently opposed a contract extension for Goodell, he became the lone owner to openly voice that opinion. Prior to the renewed contract discussions, the NFL suspended Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott for six games due to a violation of the league's personal conduct policy, while Jones loudly proclaimed the player's innocence. When it became clear that the rest of the owners didn't support Jones' fight against Goodell, the Cowboys patriarch threatened to sue the league and the owners on the compensation committee in an attempt to block the extension.
In the end, Goodell proved to be Teflon. He signed an extension and Jones conceded most of his original points, though maintained that the league needs a stronger system of checks and balances. Making an enemy of Goodell was a losing proposition from the beginning, as Jones learned in 2017.
Jalen Ramsey vs. A.J. Green
Jalen Ramsey was arguably the NFL's best cornerback in 2017. He's inarguably the league's best trash-talker, and his greatest accomplishment may be goading the normally understated A.J. Green into going berserk during a 23-7 win on Nov. 5.
Ramsey neutralized the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver throughout the game and got into his head by repeatedly calling him "weak" and "soft." Although Green's known for being quiet and composed, he took the bait and exploded. Green grabbed Ramsey's neck, threw him to the ground, and began punching him before the two were separated. Both players were ejected, but Ramsey won the war.
"As a player, as a man, and a father, that's a reflection of me," Green said. "I should have walked off in that whole situation. I definitely learned from this experience. It's never going to happen again. I regret my actions."
Ramsey has helped the Jaguars build one of the best defenses of the modern era. Jacksonville captured the AFC South, while Green will stay home wondering what went awry.
Aqib Talib vs. Michael Crabtree
If Ramsey versus Green wasn't enough, Aqib Talib and Michael Crabtree reignited their feud. Though this season's result wasn't much different, the contempt, anger, and theatrics involved elevate their rivalry onto this list.
During a 2016 contest, Talib snatched Crabtree's gold chain. Evidently, the Oakland Raiders wide receiver didn't learn his lesson. Although Crabtree reportedly tried to tuck his necklace in during this year's meeting, the Denver Broncos cornerback saw it and ripped it off again. Both players were ejected for fighting and were suspended two games, a sanction that was later reduced to one game each.
Steelers vs. Bengals
No rivalry between two teams grew more bitter than Bengals-Steelers, and the AFC North clubs' battle on Dec. 4 encapsulated the true brutality of professional football.
First, Pittsburgh linebacker Ryan Shazier left the game with a gruesome back injury he suffered on a seemingly innocuous play after he crashed into Cincinnati wide receiver Josh Malone.
Later, Steelers rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster delivered a devastating block on Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, then stood over his opponent triumphantly as he was slow to get up. Burfict had already earned a reputation as one of the NFL's dirtiest players, but this went too far.
The Bengals didn't take Smith-Schuster's action lightly. After Antonio Brown corralled a touchdown catch, Bengals safety George Iloka lit him up with a perfectly timed elbow to the head. Brown avoided injury, but it wasn't the first time the Bengals had targeted him. Immediately after the game - a narrow Pittsburgh victory - Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger chalked up all the bad blood to "AFC North football."
These teams play twice a year, and their attempts to disembowel each other may cause some viewers to turn away.
