The definitive ranking of the 26 all-time greatest 'Friends' sports moments

Decades after the first episode of Friends premiered in 1994, the iconic NBC sitcom is still ingrained in popular culture and remains among the most celebrated TV shows. And since Friends started streaming on Netflix in 2015, younger generations are now discovering what fans fell in love with years ago. We’re counting down to the 15th anniversary of the series finale, which aired on May 6, 2004, by celebrating the show’s characters, influence and best sports moments.

Friends featured a wide variety of sports moments throughout its 10-season run, even though might not seem like it at first. But when you go through all the episodes, like we did, you’ll notice that there are sports references all over the place – from subtle props or costumes to having an entire episode about football.

So we identified 26 sports moments in the show based on how they relate to sports, how funny or memorable they are and how much of an impact they have on the actual episode or show in general.

So here is the definitive ranking of the sports moments on Friends.

1. Season 4, episode 12: The One with the Embryos

Trivia, in For The Win’s book, is sports, and with this episode universally ranking among the show’s best ever, there’s no room for debate that the trivia game they play is the No. 1 sports moment. The script is witty and fast-paced but filled with details about Monica, Rachel, Joey and Chandler that rapidly provide so much insight as to who these characters really are.

And it’s not like there’s a seamless way in any other episode to share that Rachel lies about her favorite movie being Weekend at Bernie’s or that Joey’s childhood imaginary friend Maurice was a space cowboy.

This episode does, however, remind viewers that just like Rachel and Monica, they have absolutely no idea what Chandler’s job is. And, as co-creator Marta Kauffman pointed out, that trivia question makes viewers who might scoff at it wonder if they can really tell you their friends’ job titles. The trivia game is fun and charming with insanely high stakes, and there was no question its the best sports moment on Friends. — Michelle Martinelli

2. Season 1, episode 4: The One with George Stephanopoulos

How do you help your friend get over his ex? You take him to a Rangers game. What you don’t account for is him getting hit on the face with an errant puck. I love that moment when Joey replays the moment to see what it was like from Ross’s point of view. — Charles Curtis

3. Season 1, episode 12: The One with the Dozen Lasagnas

Joey and Chandler go shopping for a new kitchen table, and by the end of the episode, they’ve settled on a foosball table instead. It’s a pivotal moment and decision by the guys because it sets up so many future scenes related to the table — like when Monica and Richard play against them, when they fight over it when Joey briefly moves out or even in the finale when the new chick and duck get stuck inside. The foosball table represents their easy-going personalities, their immaturity and their competitive sides, and this moment makes all of that possible. — MM

4. Season 3, episode 9: The One with the Football

Anytime there’s a Gellar family rivalry, it’s funny. Phoebe trucking and later distracting Chandler was good for a laugh. The only reason it’s not higher is the actual football played is extremely terrible. We know it’s a sitcom, but we’re also a sports website. — CC

5. Season 4, episode 20: The One with All the Haste

After Monica and Rachel lose their apartment to Joey and Chandler in their epic quiz showdown (see No. 1 above), the only way they get it back is by pulling a fast one on their neighbors. While Chandler and Joey are at a Knicks game, they switch the apartments back. That leads to the next offer (Monica and Rachel kissing for a minute to distract from the fact that they welched on their apartment bet). All thanks to the New York Knicks setting things in motion! — CC

6. Season 4, episode 2: The One with the Cat

This is literally just a moment and probably the briefest sports one on this list, but it’s fantastic. While trying to sell the entertainment center he built, Joey demonstrates how massive it is by climbing into one of the cabinets only to have the potential customer slide a hockey stick through the handles, lock Joey in and proceed to rob him and Chandler.

Why do they even have a hockey stick?! It’s not the first time we’ve seen a hockey stick in their apartment — or even a mini stick — but it’s never really explained if one of them used to play hockey. But that makes this moment even funnier because it’s just so random but brilliant. — MM

7. Season 2, episode 12/13: The One After the Superbowl (sic)

Although it’s not technically filled with sports moments, we’re counting it as one because it was better than the actual Super Bowl that year (XXX, in which the Cowboys took down the Steelers). It was also the most-watched episode ever, seen by 52.9 million viewers (the series finale had 52.5 million). So what if it was watered down by so many guest stars, including Brooke Shields, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Julia Roberts? — CC

8. Season 5, episode 21: The One with the Ball

It’s such a simple storyline evolving from Ross and Joey playing catch and seeing how long they can keep going to a full-blown game including Monica and Chandler. Monica is on her way to making a game of catch way too competitive, and Ross even has to remind her they’re on the same team. The episode fits perfectly with a show where the characters all have an unrealistic amount of free time to sit around and drink coffee, have breakfast together, etc., but the ball highlights that when they stay up all night just to keep the game going. Although Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman disagreed, this episode is definitely sports, and it’s a great one. — MM

9. Season 6, episode 7: The One Where Phoebe Runs

Just sit back, watch this and tell me you don’t laugh. — CC

10. Season 1, episode 23: The One with the Birth

While everyone is at the hospital waiting for Ross and Carol’s son to be born, Joey befriends a single mom (Leah Remini), and while she’s in labor, they have a heated argument over the Celtics and Knicks. The juxtaposition of Joey helping coach this woman through one of the most challenging life moments while arguing about something as trivial as sports gets me every time. Watching her sling insults about the Knicks at Joey in between contractions is hilarious, and it’s just a well-crafted subplot. — MM

11. Season 1, episode 18: The One with All the Poker

Poker is, of course, a sport. And this moment is on the cusp of our top 10 because of the way the episode ends — Rachel loses out on a job at Saks and ends up raising a hand in which everyone folds. Ross nearly does the same and re-raises Rachel, who re-re-raises, and Ross escalates the bet yet again. Rachel reveals a full house, and Ross doesn’t show his cards. So did he refuse to show the better hand in order to make Rachel happy? One of the many sweet moments between one of television’s best sitcom couples — CC

12. Season 3, episode 24: The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion

This episode aired when UFC was still in its infancy, and Monica’s boyfriend Pete (Jon Favreau) is determined to not just compete but win. But, uhh, it goes as well as you’d expect for an average person competing, especially back then when the rules were a bit more relaxed and encouraged all kinds of violence. It takes a bold person to voluntarily do this, and because Monica can’t handle how brutal it is, she eventually breaks up with a man she contemplated marrying. — MM

13. Season 9, episode 24: The One in Barbados Part 2

Monica and Mike play a competitive game of table tennis and when she gets injured, Chandler steps in and beats him in a complete shock to everyone. Chandler reveals he pretended to be bad in front of her, which is somehow romantic? — CC

14. Season 4, episode 15: The One with All the Rugby

It takes a special, extraordinarily tough person to play rugby. Ross is not that person. But he’s trying to impress his new girlfriend, Emily, whose friends play rugby. He gets absolutely rocked but eventually kinda sorta gets the hang of it. But his willingness to get beat up by people who actually do know how to play rugby demonstrates his dedication to his first serious love interest after Rachel. — MM

15. Season 7, episode 09: The One with All the Candy

The storyline that stands out in this episode is Ross getting Phoebe her first bike when he learns she never had one growing up. It even had tassels like the one Phoebe’s childhood neighbor had, which she envied. The problem? Phoebe doesn’t know how to ride it — she loves it nonetheless — and Ross tries to teach her. Eventually, she ends up going with training wheels, but hey, she’s still riding it. It’s just a sweet narrative between two characters who aren’t always specifically involved in each other’s stories. And riding a bike is definitely sports. — MM

16. Season 5, episode 10: The One with the Inappropriate Sister

Instead of working on writing a movie script, Joey is initially distracted by Chandler using a spoon to toss a ball into a bowl. But he grabs some lighter fluid and the game evolves into “Fire Ball,” which seems like a super intense version of the original. Gotta admire the dangerous dedication to procrastinating. But sadly, we don’t see them play it. Although at one point, Chandler has oven mitts on and uses a fire extinguisher in his room, and later, Joey invents “Ultimate Fire Ball” with a bowling ball.— MM

17. Season 1, episode 8: The One Where Nana Dies Twice

Joey brings a handheld television to the funeral for Ross and Monica’s grandmother to watch a New York Giants game and all the men gather around it after the burial. And I have to mention that when Michelle and were debating these episodes, she wasn’t sure what Joey was watching on, so I had to tell her about the magic of handheld TVs with antennas. — CC

18. Season 3, episode 7: The One with the Race Car Bed

One sports moment leads to another here. Phoebe helps Joey prepare for an audition to play a boxer, and she ends up punching him in the nose. While they’re distracted, Monica’s new bed gets delivered, but it’s obviously not the one she ordered. Instead, it’s a race car bed, which would be awesome for a six or seven year old but not so much for straight-laced Monica, who likes everything a certain way. Still, it doesn’t stop Chandler from having a little fun pretending to race in it. — MM

19. Season 9, episode 7: The One with Ross’ Inappropriate Song

Chandler and Joey discover a tape marked “Monica” in her ex-boyfriend Richard’s apartment and steal it. When they watch it, there’s a football game on it that taped over what turns out to be a tape of Richard and a woman who isn’t Monica in bed together. What’s funny is Monica is mad that Richard would tape over what was on the VHS even if it wasn’t her. And speaking of which, remember VCRs and taping football games? Those were the days — CC

20. Season 5, episode 12: The One with Chandler’s Work Laugh

Monica’s competitive side is in full force when she and Chandler play tennis against Chandler’s boss and his wife. Of course, Monica can play, and she doesn’t hold back against the significantly older couple. Chandler even calls her Martina at one point, which could have been a reference to either Martina Navratilova or Martina Hingis, who was in her prime around the time this episode aired. And who can blame Monica for being furious when Chandler throws the match? — MM

21. Season 10, episode 18: The Last One Part 2

The new chick and duck get stuck inside the foosball table in the finale, so Joey and Chandler — actually, Monica ends up doing it — are forced to destroy their beloved game. Their goodbye is hilarious, but it’s also sad as heck. — CC

22. Season 8, episode 22: The One Where Rachel Is Late

This was Michelle’s pick for the best Rachel episode ever and there’s one part of it that’s sports-related: Monica and Phoebe bet on when Rachel’s baby will arrive. — CC

23. Season 3, episode 1: The One with the Princess Leia Fantasy

Joey makes an effort to like Janice while she and Chandler are dating, and Joey and Janice’s Day of Fun includes going to a Mets game. After it all, he still can’t stand Janice, but he learns he can at least tolerate her and her laugh. And that means he can hang out with Chandler, which was the whole point of hanging out with her in the first place. — MM

24. Season 2, episode 22: The One with the Two Parties

There is no question that Joey and Chandler are throwing the better birthday party for Rachel over Monica, and that includes setting up a volleyball court in Chandler’s room. While we don’t actually see them play volleyball, the ball itself makes its most notable appearance at the very end. Rachel makes her birthday wish and just as she blows out the candles on the birthday flan Monica made, the volleyball comes crashing down on the dessert, which turns out to be Rachel’s birthday wish. — MM

25. Season 10, episode 8: The One with the Late Thanksgiving

It’s just sports-y enough to count for this list: Ross gets great Rangers tickets on Thanksgiving and takes Joey despite warnings from Chandler that they’d be late, and it turns out Chandler was right. — CC

26. Season 10, episode 5: The One Where Rachel’s Sister Babysits

This is simple: It’s the episode in which Mike tries to propose to Phoebe at a Knicks game and it goes badly. Later, after a consultation with everyone, she decides to propose to him at another Knicks game and the two of them get booed to oblivion. In-game proposals are rarely a good idea, so this one lands dead last, although it does lead to a much better proposal from Mike. — CC