Every NFL decade has produced its own dynasty. In most, a second powerhouse team also wins multiple championships. The trend has held true since Vince Lombardi's Packers christened his namesake trophy.
These dynasties won games and rings in different ways. Pittsburgh's defense, which the Steel Curtain fronted, routinely shut down opponents. Bill Walsh brought Joe Montana and other future legends to San Francisco, then schemed pass plays that catered to their strengths. Elite defensively at first under Bill Belichick, New England started scoring at will once Tom Brady morphed into a quarterbacking cyborg.
The cores of these franchises remained intact for a while. Every Steelers title team in the '70s counted on the same 10 Pro Football Hall of Famers (five on either side of the ball). Cowboys fans saw Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin demoralize defenders together during the team's peak. The Brady-Belichick bond endured as the salary cap, introduced in 1994, constricted spending and as roster turnover and parity became NFL norms.
It's getting harder to field a perennial contender. This decade's first two champs, the Buccaneers and Rams, loaded up on star talent to summit the mountain once before cratering in quality this season. It's unlikely they'll reign again anytime soon. So it's meaningful that both Super Bowl LVII finalists won a title recently and are built to vie for more.
