With free agency, the NFL Draft, OTAs and minicamps in the rearview and training camps not starting until the end of July, we have officially entered the dog days of the NFL calendar.
But we’re not doggin’ it here at Yardbarker, where our NFL writers tapped into their inner hound to compare the Eagles, Cardinals, Lions and other NFC teams they cover to one of man’s best friends.
NFC East
DALLAS COWBOYS | Labrador Retriever |According to the American Kennel Club, no breed was more popular in the 1990s than Labrador Retrievers. After a 31-year run as “America’s Breed,” they’re now No. 2 behind French Bulldogs. It’s a demotion these Cowboys can relate to.
NEW YORK GIANTS | Dalmatian | Like the Dalmatian, these Giants are known for “spottiness,” especially in 2023, when they finished 6-11 because of spotty play, spotty coaching and a spotty draft. If quarterback Daniel Jones can’t regain his 2022 form, he’ll have a 1-in-101 chance of keeping a spot on the team’s 2025 roster.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | Golden Retriever | According to the “Guiness Book of World Records,” a Golden Retriever named Charlie produced the loudest bark of all time (113.1 decibels). If Charlie could spell E-A-G-L-E-S, he’d already have a seat at Lincoln Financial Field, where fans let the 2023 Eagles know what they thought of their lackluster play.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS | Afghan Hound | The American Kennel Club named Afghan Hounds as one of the hardest dog breeds to groom. This year, new head coach Dan Quinn hopes to clean up the 4-13 mess left by former coach Ron Rivera by getting rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels up to NFL speed quickly. — Bruce Ewing
NFC West
ARIZONA CARDINALS | Basset Hound | Calm and mild-mannered, Basset Hounds don’t have beefs with anyone and are typically liked by everybody. Few in the NFL have harsh feelings toward the Cardinals, who have made the playoffs once in the past eight seasons.
LOS ANGELES RAMS | Border Collie | Border Collies are among the smartest dogs and known as “the valedictorians of the dog world,” per Good Housekeeping. That seems fitting for a Rams team that has one of the NFL’s brightest head coaches in Sean McVay and a front office that always seems to make the right moves to stay competitive.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | Greyhound | Greyhounds are known for being sleek, fast and graceful. That pretty much sums up a Kyle Shanahan offense — especially with the Niners, who have the NFL’s most talented playmakers.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | Golden Retriever | Golden retrievers are dependable, much like a Seahawks team that always seems to finish with nine to 12 wins. — Adam Gretz
NFC North
CHICAGO BEARS | Cane Corso | Larger than the average Pit bull, the Cane Corso isn’t known for being aggressive but instead uses its intimidating appearance as a “first line of defense,” per the American Kennel Club. For now, that perfectly describes the Bears, who might look dangerous on paper but have yet to prove it on the field.
DETROIT LIONS | Border Collie | Strong and agile, the well-rounded Border Collie is the “workaholic” of dog breeds. Led by head coach Dan Campbell, the Lions are the NFL’s lunch-pail team and will enter the 2024 season as one of the NFC’s deepest and most versatile squads.
GREEN BAY PACKERS | Rhodesian Ridgeback | As far back as the 1800s, groups of Ridgebacks hunted lions. That’s precisely what the Packers aim to do in 2024, and after a promising jump forward by Jordan Love and several offseason upgrades, they’re better equipped to take on division rival Detroit and the rest of the NFC.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS | Dachshund | “Weiner dogs” draw plenty of eyes with their unique appearance, though intimidating or tough wouldn’t be a word used to describe the breed. Led by star WR Justin Jefferson and (perhaps) rookie QB J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings have similar appeal, but much like the Dachshund, they aren’t likely to win many dog fights despite being cool to look at. — Mike Santa Barbara
NFC South
ATLANTA FALCONS | Gordon Setter | Per the American Kennel Club, the Gordon Setter “is a substantial bird dog” that is “bold, confident and resolute in the field.” If that doesn’t sound like an apt description for Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson, nothing is.
CAROLINA PANTHERS | Teacup Yorkie | Genial and minuscule, they threaten no one. Oh, and Teacup Yorkies are pretty harmless, too.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | Saint Bernard | With mascot “Gumbo the Dog,” the Saints have a clear connection to Saint Bernards, but it runs deeper than that. New Orleans’ defense shares descriptors such as “very powerful” and “imposing” with the breed, but overall, the Saint Bernard, like the Saints, has seen better days. Per the American Kennel Club, Saint Bernards don’t “rank very high” in its registrations.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS | Boxer | Boxers never go out of style, kind of like how the Bucs stayed resilient in remaining atop the NFC South in their first season since 2019 without quarterback Tom Brady. “They…meet threats fearlessly,” writes the American Kennel Club about Boxers, much like how the underdog Bucs went toe-to-toe with the Lions in the 2023 NFC divisional round before losing. — Eric Smithling
