AFC North
Encyclopedia
The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League
's American Football Conference
. It was created prior to the 1967 season
as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions. It became the AFC Central in 1970
following the completion of the AFL-NFL merger
when two of the NFL Century teams—the Cleveland Browns
and the Pittsburgh Steelers
—moved from the "old" NFL to join the former American Football League
teams in the AFC, in order to give the AFC an even number of teams. The division adopted its current name in 2002
, when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams. It is the only AFC division to be the successor to a former NFL division from 1967.
The AFC North currently has four members: Baltimore Ravens
, Cincinnati Bengals
, the Cleveland Browns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The original four members of the AFC Central were the Houston Oilers
(now the Tennessee Titans), the Browns, the Bengals and the Steelers. Dating back to the NFL Century's formation in 1967, only the Steelers have remained members for the division's entire history, due to most of the other teams either leaving for other divisions or joining later and the Browns failing to keep pace due to being out of the league for three years
.
The AFC North is the only division in the AFC that does not contain a charter team from the original American Football League
. However, the Bengals were an AFL expansion team in 1968 AFL season (the Steelers and Browns joined the AFC from the NFL in 1970), although the Bengals joining the AFL was contingent on the team joining the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger
was finalized in 1970
, as Paul Brown
was not a supporter of the AFL.
Three of the teams have interlocked histories. Both the Bengals and the Browns were founded by Paul Brown
, while the Ravens and the city of Cleveland have their own unique relationship. Only the Steelers, who are older than the original Browns, have no direct history involving Paul Brown.
centered around Washington, DC, the Central Division
in the upper Midwest, the Coastal Division
having two teams on each coast, and the Century Division having teams from various geographical areas: Cleveland was in the Midwest
and Great Lakes
, Pittsburgh in the Appalachians
, New Orleans in the Deep South
, St. Louis
in the Great Plains
(also part of the Midwest) and New York City
was on the East Coast
.
The Browns won all three division titles from the 1960s, though the St. Louis Cardinals
were competitive within the division. The Browns played for the NFL title in 1968 and 1969, but lost both games. The New York Giants
and New Orleans Saints
swapped places with each other between this division and the NFL Capitol Division in each season. The Steelers finished in last place each season.
. The Giants and Cardinals are placed in the NFL Capitol—now renamed the NFC East
--while the Saints in the NFL Coastal Division
, which is renamed the NFC West
; the Cardinals now play in the NFC West while the Saints play in the NFC South
. The division thus became more geographically accurate, as Cincinnati is located in the Midwest, although Houston is clearly in the Southern United States
(but part of the South Central United States
as well).
Although the Bengals won the first AFC Central Division Championship in 1970, the Steelers dominated the division for most of the 1970s, a decade that also saw them win four Super Bowl
s.
. The Bengals were the only team to represent the AFC Central in the Super Bowl during the decade, appearing in Super Bowls XVI
and XXIII
. Both appearances resulted in close losses to the San Francisco 49ers
.
, in which they lost to the Dallas Cowboys
.
In 1992, the Oilers were involved in one of the most famous playoff games in NFL history. In a game now known as The Comeback
, the Oilers surrendered a 32-point lead to the Buffalo Bills
and lost in overtime, 41–38. It is the largest deficit ever overcome in the history of the NFL.
In 1995, the Jacksonville Jaguars
joined the league through expansion and were placed in the AFC Central. It was the first change to the structure of the division since its inception, and added a second team to the U.S. South. The following year, the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy
saw the owner of the Browns, Art Modell, move his team to Baltimore and be rechristened as the Baltimore Ravens
. Then in 1997, the Oilers moved to Tennessee
but remained in the division (the team later was renamed the Titans in 1999). The makeup of the AFC Central changed once again in 1999 when the Browns returned to the NFL. The division had six teams for the 1999, 2000 and 2001 seasons.
Aside from Pittsburgh's appearance in Super Bowl XXX
, the only other appearance in the Super Bowl
for the division in the decade was the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV
, who came up one yard short of the first Super Bowl to go into overtime. Along the way, the team got revenge on the Bills seven years after the Comeback in the Wild Card round by defeating the Bills 22–16 as a result of the Music City Miracle
.
, to the dismay of Browns fans. The team's defense, led by linebacker
Ray Lewis
, was arguably one of the best defenses of all time.
In 2002 the NFL realigned into eight divisions of four teams. As part of the settlement between the NFL and the City of Cleveland as a result of the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy
, any future realignment required the Browns to be in the same division as the Steelers and Bengals. There was talk that the fourth team was either going to be the Titans, Ravens, Indianapolis Colts
, or even the expansion Houston Texans
. The city of Houston had historical connections with the other AFC Central teams through the Oilers/Titans, while the Titans themselves had historical connections in the division. The Colts and Ravens made more sense geographically, with the Ravens being the favorites due to the team's connection to Cleveland.
In the end, the Jaguars and Titans—the latter winning the AFC Central title in 2000—were both moved to the new AFC South
, while the rest of the AFC Central remained intact and renamed the AFC North. The division, geographically-speaking, thus became the shortest driving distance between each team among the NFL's eight divisions, as three of the teams are located within close proximity of Interstate 70
(with the one city that isn't, Cleveland, being two hours north of I-70), and the distance between Baltimore
and Cincinnati (the two teams furthest away from each other) being only 526 miles apart. The Browns and Steelers, the two closest rivals, even ride a bus to their games instead of flying.
In this new decade, the Steelers have won the division title five times, the Ravens and Bengals have each won the division twice. The Steelers and the Bengals are the only teams in the AFC North to have swept all three divisional opponents since the re-alignment – the Steelers in 2002 and 2008 (going 7 for 7 both times, winning against the Browns in a 2003 AFC Wildcard game and the Ravens in the 2009 AFC Championship), and the Bengals in 2009.
In 2005, although finishing second in the division to the Bengals, the Steelers became the first team in NFL history to enter the playoffs as a #6 seeded wild card team and win the Super Bowl.
In 2008, the Steelers became the first team to repeat as division champion since the divisions' creation in 2002. The team went on to win Super Bowl XLIII
that season, their second Super Bowl in four years and an NFL-record sixth overall.
The Eastern Conference respectively divided into the Capitol and Century Divisions. The Century Division consists of Cleveland, New York, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis.
1968
New Orleans moved in from the Capitol Division, New York moved to the Capitol Division as well.
1969
New Orleans moved back to the Capitol Division, New York moved in from the Capitol Division as well.
1970–94
New York Giants and St. Louis moved to the Capitol Division (renamed National Football Conference's East division, or NFC East for short). The Century Division is renamed American Football Conference's Central division (or AFC Central for short), due to the AFL-NFL Merger
. Also, Cincinnati and Houston moved in from the defunct American Football League.
1995
Jacksonville Jaguars enfranchised.
1996
Cleveland Browns franchise deactivated; personnel, equipment, etc. moved to the enfranchised Baltimore Ravens.
1997–98
Houston moved to Memphis as Tennessee Oilers in 1997, moved to Nashville in 1998 (still known as Oilers).
1999–2001
Tennessee Oilers renamed Tennessee Titans, the Cleveland Browns franchise is reactivated.
2002–present
Jacksonville and Tennessee moved to AFC South. AFC Central renamed AFC North.
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Season !! Team !! Record !! Playoff Results
|-
| colspan="4" align="center" | NFL Century
|-
| 1967 || Cleveland Browns
|| 9–5–0 || Lost NFL Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1968 || Cleveland Browns
|| 10–4–0 || Lost NFL Championship
|-
| 1969 || Cleveland Browns
|| 10–3–1 || Lost NFL Championship
|-
| colspan="4" align="center" | AFC Central
|-
| 1970 || Cincinnati Bengals
|| 8–6–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1971 || Cleveland Browns
|| 9–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1972 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 11–3–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1973 || Cincinnati Bengals
|| 10–4–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1974 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 10–3–1 || Won Super Bowl IX
|-
| 1975 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 12–2–0 || Won Super Bowl X
|-
| 1976 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 10–4–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1977 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 9–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1978 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 14–2–0 || Won Super Bowl XIII
|-
| 1979 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 12–4–0 || Won Super Bowl XIV
|-
| 1980 || Cleveland Browns
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1981 || Cincinnati Bengals
|| 12–4–0 || Lost Super Bowl XVI
|-
| 1982+ || Cincinnati Bengals
|| 7–2–0 || Lost AFC First Round
|-
| 1983 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 10–6–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1984 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 9–7–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1985 || Cleveland Browns
|| 8–8–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1986 || Cleveland Browns
|| 12–4–0|| Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1987 || Cleveland Browns
|| 10–5–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1988 || Cincinnati Bengals
|| 12–4–0 || Lost Super Bowl XXIII
|-
| 1989 || Cleveland Browns
|| 9–6–1 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1990 || Cincinnati Bengals
|| 9–7–0 || Lost Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1991 || Houston Oilers
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1992 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1993 || Houston Oilers
|| 12–4–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1994 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 12–4–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1995 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 11–5–0 || Lost Super Bowl XXX
|-
| 1996 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 10–6–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1997 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1998 || Jacksonville Jaguars
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1999 || Jacksonville Jaguars
|| 14–2–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 2000++ || Tennessee Titans
|| 13–3–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 2001 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 13–3–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| colspan="4" align="center" | AFC North
|-
|-
| 2002 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 10–5–1 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 2003 || Baltimore Ravens
|| 10–6–0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 2004 || Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 15–1–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 2005++ || Cincinnati Bengals
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 2006 || Baltimore Ravens
||13–3–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 2007 || Pittsburgh Steelers
||10–6–0 || Lost AFC Wild Card playoffs
|-
| 2008 || Pittsburgh Steelers
||12–4–0 || Won Super Bowl XLIII
|-
| 2009 || Cincinnati Bengals
||10–6–0 || Lost AFC Wild Card playoffs
|-
| 2010 || Pittsburgh Steelers
||12-4-0 || Lost Super Bowl XLV
+ A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games. Because of the strike, the league used for its playoffs a special 16-team "Super Bowl Tournament" just for this year. Division standings were not formally acknowledged (although every division wound up sending at least one team to the playoffs); Cincinnati had the best record of the division teams.
++ Baltimore and Pittsburgh went on to win Super Bowl XXXV
and Super Bowl XL
, respectively, as wild card
teams.
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Team !! Championships !! Playoff Berths
|-steelers rule
| Pittsburgh Steelers
|| 20 || 25
|-
| Cleveland Browns
|| 9 || 15
|-
| Cincinnati Bengals
|| 8 || 9
|-
| Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans
|| 3 || 12
|-
|| Baltimore Ravens
|| 2 || 7
|-
| Jacksonville Jaguars
|| 2 || 4
|-
|| New Orleans Saints
|| 0 || 0
|-
|| New York Giants
|| 0 || 0
|-
|| St. Louis Cardinals
|| 0 || 0
|-
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's American Football Conference
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
. It was created prior to the 1967 season
1967 NFL season
The 1967 NFL season was the 48th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of the New Orleans Saints. The league's teams were realigned into four divisions: the Capitol and Century Divisions in the Eastern Conference, and the Central and...
as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions. It became the AFC Central in 1970
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
following the completion of the AFL-NFL merger
AFL-NFL Merger
The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
when two of the NFL Century teams—the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
—moved from the "old" NFL to join the former American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
teams in the AFC, in order to give the AFC an even number of teams. The division adopted its current name in 2002
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
, when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams. It is the only AFC division to be the successor to a former NFL division from 1967.
The AFC North currently has four members: Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, the Cleveland Browns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The original four members of the AFC Central were the Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
(now the Tennessee Titans), the Browns, the Bengals and the Steelers. Dating back to the NFL Century's formation in 1967, only the Steelers have remained members for the division's entire history, due to most of the other teams either leaving for other divisions or joining later and the Browns failing to keep pace due to being out of the league for three years
Cleveland Browns relocation controversy
The Cleveland Browns relocation controversy was the decision by then Browns owner Art Modell to move the National Football League team from its longtime home of Cleveland, Ohio to Baltimore, Maryland for the 1996 NFL season...
.
The AFC North is the only division in the AFC that does not contain a charter team from the original American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
. However, the Bengals were an AFL expansion team in 1968 AFL season (the Steelers and Browns joined the AFC from the NFL in 1970), although the Bengals joining the AFL was contingent on the team joining the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger
AFL-NFL Merger
The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
was finalized in 1970
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
, as Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
was not a supporter of the AFL.
Three of the teams have interlocked histories. Both the Bengals and the Browns were founded by Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
, while the Ravens and the city of Cleveland have their own unique relationship. Only the Steelers, who are older than the original Browns, have no direct history involving Paul Brown.
1960s
During the 1960s, the NFL labeled all of its divisions with the first letter "C"; each division's name also contained seven letters; the Capitol DivisionNFC East
The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins....
centered around Washington, DC, the Central Division
NFC North
The NFC North is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference, based in the Upper Midwest region of the United States...
in the upper Midwest, the Coastal Division
NFC West
The NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, St...
having two teams on each coast, and the Century Division having teams from various geographical areas: Cleveland was in the Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
and Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, Pittsburgh in the Appalachians
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
, New Orleans in the Deep South
Deep South
The Deep South is a descriptive category of the cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. Historically, it is differentiated from the "Upper South" as being the states which were most dependent on plantation type agriculture during the pre-Civil War period...
, St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
(also part of the Midwest) and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
was on the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
.
The Browns won all three division titles from the 1960s, though the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
were competitive within the division. The Browns played for the NFL title in 1968 and 1969, but lost both games. The New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
swapped places with each other between this division and the NFL Capitol Division in each season. The Steelers finished in last place each season.
1970s
The division moves to the AFC with the Browns and Steelers and is renamed the AFC Central in 1970, while the other three teams that had been members of the NFL Century stay in the NFCNational Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
. The Giants and Cardinals are placed in the NFL Capitol—now renamed the NFC East
NFC East
The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins....
--while the Saints in the NFL Coastal Division
National Football League Coastal Division
The NFL Coastal Division was one of the four divisions of the National Football League that was created prior to the 1967 season when the league realigned its existing Eastern and Western Conferences...
, which is renamed the NFC West
NFC West
The NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, St...
; the Cardinals now play in the NFC West while the Saints play in the NFC South
NFC South
The NFC South is a division in the National Football Conference of the National Football League. It was created prior to the 2002 NFL season, when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams. The NFC South currently has four members: the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New...
. The division thus became more geographically accurate, as Cincinnati is located in the Midwest, although Houston is clearly in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
(but part of the South Central United States
South Central United States
The South Central United States or South Central states is a region of the United States located in the south central part of the country. It evolved out of the archaic southwest, which originally was literally the western U.S. South...
as well).
Although the Bengals won the first AFC Central Division Championship in 1970, the Steelers dominated the division for most of the 1970s, a decade that also saw them win four Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s.
1980s
The 1980 Cleveland Browns broke the Steelers' six-year run as division champions, but failed to advance past the divisional round of the playoffs, losing to the Oakland Raiders as a result of Red Right 88Red Right 88
Red Right 88 was the designation of a Cleveland Browns passing play that was called during the January 4, 1981 American Football Conference divisional playoff game against the Oakland Raiders; in the years since, the term has been used to refer to the game itself and its ending.Trailing 14-12 with...
. The Bengals were the only team to represent the AFC Central in the Super Bowl during the decade, appearing in Super Bowls XVI
Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city...
and XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
. Both appearances resulted in close losses to the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
1990s
The Steelers returned as the dominant team in the division in 1992. They won five divisional titles in six years, and played in Super Bowl XXXSuper Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
, in which they lost to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
.
In 1992, the Oilers were involved in one of the most famous playoff games in NFL history. In a game now known as The Comeback
The Comeback (American football)
The Comeback was a NFL playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Oilers played January 3, 1993. It featured the Bills recovering from a 32-point deficit to win in overtime, and it remains the largest comeback in NFL history...
, the Oilers surrendered a 32-point lead to the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and lost in overtime, 41–38. It is the largest deficit ever overcome in the history of the NFL.
In 1995, the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
joined the league through expansion and were placed in the AFC Central. It was the first change to the structure of the division since its inception, and added a second team to the U.S. South. The following year, the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy
Cleveland Browns relocation controversy
The Cleveland Browns relocation controversy was the decision by then Browns owner Art Modell to move the National Football League team from its longtime home of Cleveland, Ohio to Baltimore, Maryland for the 1996 NFL season...
saw the owner of the Browns, Art Modell, move his team to Baltimore and be rechristened as the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. Then in 1997, the Oilers moved to Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
but remained in the division (the team later was renamed the Titans in 1999). The makeup of the AFC Central changed once again in 1999 when the Browns returned to the NFL. The division had six teams for the 1999, 2000 and 2001 seasons.
Aside from Pittsburgh's appearance in Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
, the only other appearance in the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
for the division in the decade was the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
, who came up one yard short of the first Super Bowl to go into overtime. Along the way, the team got revenge on the Bills seven years after the Comeback in the Wild Card round by defeating the Bills 22–16 as a result of the Music City Miracle
Music City Miracle
The Music City Miracle is the name commonly given to a play that took place on January 8, 2000 during the National Football League's 1999–2000 playoffs...
.
2000s
The decade began with the Ravens winning Super Bowl XXXVSuper Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
, to the dismay of Browns fans. The team's defense, led by linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis is a professional American football player.Ray Lewis may also refer to:* Ray Lewis , former English association football referee* Ray Lewis , Canadian track-and-field athlete...
, was arguably one of the best defenses of all time.
In 2002 the NFL realigned into eight divisions of four teams. As part of the settlement between the NFL and the City of Cleveland as a result of the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy
Cleveland Browns relocation controversy
The Cleveland Browns relocation controversy was the decision by then Browns owner Art Modell to move the National Football League team from its longtime home of Cleveland, Ohio to Baltimore, Maryland for the 1996 NFL season...
, any future realignment required the Browns to be in the same division as the Steelers and Bengals. There was talk that the fourth team was either going to be the Titans, Ravens, Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, or even the expansion Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The city of Houston had historical connections with the other AFC Central teams through the Oilers/Titans, while the Titans themselves had historical connections in the division. The Colts and Ravens made more sense geographically, with the Ravens being the favorites due to the team's connection to Cleveland.
In the end, the Jaguars and Titans—the latter winning the AFC Central title in 2000—were both moved to the new AFC South
AFC South
The AFC South is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created before the 2002 season when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams...
, while the rest of the AFC Central remained intact and renamed the AFC North. The division, geographically-speaking, thus became the shortest driving distance between each team among the NFL's eight divisions, as three of the teams are located within close proximity of Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
(with the one city that isn't, Cleveland, being two hours north of I-70), and the distance between Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and Cincinnati (the two teams furthest away from each other) being only 526 miles apart. The Browns and Steelers, the two closest rivals, even ride a bus to their games instead of flying.
In this new decade, the Steelers have won the division title five times, the Ravens and Bengals have each won the division twice. The Steelers and the Bengals are the only teams in the AFC North to have swept all three divisional opponents since the re-alignment – the Steelers in 2002 and 2008 (going 7 for 7 both times, winning against the Browns in a 2003 AFC Wildcard game and the Ravens in the 2009 AFC Championship), and the Bengals in 2009.
In 2005, although finishing second in the division to the Bengals, the Steelers became the first team in NFL history to enter the playoffs as a #6 seeded wild card team and win the Super Bowl.
In 2008, the Steelers became the first team to repeat as division champion since the divisions' creation in 2002. The team went on to win Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
that season, their second Super Bowl in four years and an NFL-record sixth overall.
Division lineups
1967- Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
- New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
- St. Louis CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
The Eastern Conference respectively divided into the Capitol and Century Divisions. The Century Division consists of Cleveland, New York, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis.
1968
- Cleveland Browns
- New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- St. Louis Cardinals
New Orleans moved in from the Capitol Division, New York moved to the Capitol Division as well.
1969
- Cleveland Browns
- New York Giants
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- St. Louis Cardinals
New Orleans moved back to the Capitol Division, New York moved in from the Capitol Division as well.
1970–94
- Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
- Cleveland Browns
- Houston Oilers
- Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Giants and St. Louis moved to the Capitol Division (renamed National Football Conference's East division, or NFC East for short). The Century Division is renamed American Football Conference's Central division (or AFC Central for short), due to the AFL-NFL Merger
AFL-NFL Merger
The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
. Also, Cincinnati and Houston moved in from the defunct American Football League.
1995
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Houston Oilers
- Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville JaguarsThe Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Pittsburgh Steelers
Jacksonville Jaguars enfranchised.
1996
- Baltimore RavensBaltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Houston Oilers
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Pittsburgh Steelers
Cleveland Browns franchise deactivated; personnel, equipment, etc. moved to the enfranchised Baltimore Ravens.
1997–98
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tennessee Oilers
Houston moved to Memphis as Tennessee Oilers in 1997, moved to Nashville in 1998 (still known as Oilers).
1999–2001
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tennessee TitansTennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
Tennessee Oilers renamed Tennessee Titans, the Cleveland Browns franchise is reactivated.
2002–present
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Pittsburgh Steelers
Jacksonville and Tennessee moved to AFC South. AFC Central renamed AFC North.
Division champions
{| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Season !! Team !! Record !! Playoff Results
|-
| colspan="4" align="center" | NFL Century
|-
| 1967 || Cleveland Browns
1967 Cleveland Browns season
The 1967 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 18th season with the National Football League.-NFL Draft:The following were selected in the 1967 NFL Draft.-Exhibition schedule:-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:-Playoffs:-References:...
|| 9–5–0 || Lost NFL Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1967
The NFL playoffs following the 1967 NFL season culminated in the 1967 title game on New Year's Eve, and determined who would represent the league against the American Football League champions in Super Bowl II....
|-
| 1968 || Cleveland Browns
1968 Cleveland Browns season
The 1968 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 19th season with the National Football League.The Browns made it to the playoffs for the 2nd straight year thanks to a 8-game winning streak and the brillant play of quarterback Bill Nelsen who replaced Frank Ryan as the starting quarterback prior to...
|| 10–4–0 || Lost NFL Championship
NFL Championship Game, 1968
The 1968 National Football League championship game was the 36th annual championship game. The winner of the game would represent the NFL in the 3rd AFL-NFL World Championship Game also called the Super Bowl...
|-
| 1969 || Cleveland Browns
1969 Cleveland Browns season
The 1969 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 20th season with the National Football League and the last before the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger.-NFL Draft:The following were selected in the 1969 NFL Draft.-Preseason:...
|| 10–3–1 || Lost NFL Championship
NFL Championship Game, 1969
The 1969 NFL Championship Game was the 37th and final championship game played prior to the AFL-NFL Merger. The winner of the game would go on to play in Super Bowl IV against the champion of the American Football League...
|-
| colspan="4" align="center" | AFC Central
|-
| 1970 || Cincinnati Bengals
1970 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 1970 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 3rd year in professional football and its 1st with the National Football League.The NFL-AFL merger took place before the season, and the Bengals made their first NFL campaign a memorable one...
|| 8–6–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1970-71
The NFL playoffs following the 1970 NFL season led up to Super Bowl V.This was the first playoff tournament after the AFL-NFL Merger. An eight-team playoff tournament was designed, with four clubs from each conference qualifying...
|-
| 1971 || Cleveland Browns
1971 Cleveland Browns season
The 1971 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 22nd season with the National Football League.After missing the playoffs the previous year, the Browns got off to a good start at 4–1 only to stumble losing 4 straight to fall to 4–5. However, the Browns would rebound to win the final 4 games of the...
|| 9–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1971-72
The NFL playoffs following the 1971 NFL season led up to Super Bowl VI. Like the previous NFL seasons, the home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly divisional rotation, excluding the wild card teams who would always play on the road...
|-
| 1972 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the 40th in franchise history. The team went 11–3 that season, and won their first-ever AFC Central Division title.-Depth chart:-Schedule:- Week 1 : Oakland Raiders :...
|| 11–3–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1972-73
The NFL playoffs following the 1972 NFL season led up to Super Bowl VII. Like the previous NFL seasons, the home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly divisional rotation, excluding the wild card teams who would always play on the road.-Bracket:...
|-
| 1973 || Cincinnati Bengals
1973 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 1973 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 6th year in professional football and its 4th with the National Football League.The Bengals split their first eight games, then swept their last six to win their second AFC Central Division title....
|| 10–4–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1973-74
The NFL playoffs following the 1973 NFL season led up to Super Bowl VIII. Like the previous NFL seasons, the home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly divisional rotation, excluding the wild card teams who would always play on the road.-Bracket:...
|-
| 1974 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1974 Pittsburgh Steelers season
-NFL Draft:In the 1974 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers are the only team in NFL history to select four Pro Football Hall of Fame players in the same draft .* Round 1: Lynn Swann, USC...
|| 10–3–1 || Won Super Bowl IX
Super Bowl IX
Super Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium...
|-
| 1975 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 1975 season defending their AFC Central and Super Bowl IX titles from the 1974 season. Throughout the 1975 season they not only improved on their 10–3–1 record from the previous year, but once again won the AFC Central Division Title and their second franchise...
|| 12–2–0 || Won Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
|-
| 1976 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers started the season looking to become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win three-straight league championships...
|| 10–4–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1976-77
The NFL playoffs following the 1976 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XI.-Bracket:-AFC: Oakland Raiders 24, New England Patriots 21:The Patriots scored first after an 86-yard drive was capped by running back Andy Johnson's 1-yard touchdown run...
|-
| 1977 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1977 Pittsburgh Steelers season
- Schedule :- Week 1 : vs. San Francisco 49ers :at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time: 9:00 pm EDT* Game weather:* Game attendance: 48,046* Referee: Bernie Ulman...
|| 9–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1977-78
The NFL playoffs following the 1977 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XII.Due to Christmas, the Divisional playoff games were held in a span of three days. The AFC playoff games were played on December 24 while the NFC games were held on December 26...
|-
| 1978 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League . The season concluded with the team winning Super Bowl XIII to become the first franchise in the NFL to win three Super Bowl titles. The championship run was led by quarterback Terry Bradshaw and...
|| 14–2–0 || Won Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
|-
| 1979 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1979 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers season saw the Steelers successfully defend their Super Bowl Championship from the previous year as they achieved a 12–4 record and went on to defeat the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV.-Roster:-Schedule:...
|| 12–4–0 || Won Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
|-
| 1980 || Cleveland Browns
1980 Cleveland Browns season
The 1980 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 31st season with the National Football League.For more details on the season, see Kardiac Kids and Red Right 88.-NFL Draft:The following were selected in the 1980 NFL Draft.-Memorable moments:...
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1980-81
The NFL playoffs following the 1980 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XV.Note: As per the rules of the NFL playoffs prior to the 1990 season , the San Diego Chargers did not play the Oakland Raiders in the Divisional playoff round because both teams were in the same division.-AFC: Oakland Raiders 27,...
|-
| 1981 || Cincinnati Bengals
1981 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 1981 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 14th year in professional football and its 12th with the National Football League.The Bengals unveiled new uniforms with tiger-striped helmets, jerseys and pants. They had at least a share of the AFC Central lead the entire season and, on Dec...
|| 12–4–0 || Lost Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city...
|-
| 1982+ || Cincinnati Bengals
1982 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 1982 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 15th year in professional football and its 13th with the National Football League.The Bengals posted a 7–2 record in a strike-shortened season to earn a postseason berth, but lost to the Jets in the first round of the playoffs, 44–17...
|| 7–2–0 || Lost AFC First Round
NFL playoffs, 1982-83
The NFL playoffs following the 1982 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVII.A players' strike reduced the regular season to nine games. Thus, the league used a special 16-team playoff format , just for this year. Division standings were ignored...
|-
| 1983 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1983 Pittsburgh Steelers season
- Schedule :- Week 1 : vs. Denver Broncos :at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT* Game weather:* Game attendance: 58,233* Referee: Jerry Seeman...
|| 10–6–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1983-84
The NFL playoffs following the 1983 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVIII.Due to Christmas, the two wild card playoff games were played in a span of three days....
|-
| 1984 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1984 Pittsburgh Steelers season
- Schedule :- Week 1 : vs. Kansas City Chiefs :at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT* Game weather:* Game attendance: 56,709* Referee: Jerry Seeman...
|| 9–7–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1984-85
The NFL playoffs following the 1984 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XIX.The two wild card games were held on different days because both venues were in the Pacific Standard Time Zone. The NFL did not schedule prime time playoff games on the east coast until 2002. Normally, playoff games started at...
|-
| 1985 || Cleveland Browns
1985 Cleveland Browns season
The 1985 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 36th season with the National Football League.In Marty Schottenheimer's first full year as head coach, the Browns bounced back from a horrible 5–11 season in 1984 to make the playoffs, despite a .500 season...
|| 8–8–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1985-86
The NFL playoffs following the 1985 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XX.Because the Jets and Giants both used Giants Stadium as their home field, the two wild card playoff games were held on different days.-AFC: New England Patriots 26, New York Jets 14:...
|-
| 1986 || Cleveland Browns
1986 Cleveland Browns season
The 1986 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 37th season with the National Football League. The death of Don Rogers, a promising young defensive back who was preparing to enter his third season in the NFL, cast a black cloud over the team as it prepared for the 1986 season.-NFL...
|| 12–4–0|| Lost AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1986-87
The NFL playoffs following the 1986 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXI.Note: As per the rules of the NFL playoffs prior to the 1990 season , the New York Giants did not play the Washington Redskins in the Divisional playoff round because both teams were in the same division.-AFC: New York Jets...
|-
| 1987 || Cleveland Browns
1987 Cleveland Browns season
-References:...
|| 10–5–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1987-88
The NFL playoffs following the 1987 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXII.-NFC: Minnesota Vikings 44, New Orleans Saints 10:In the Saints' first playoff game in history, the Vikings dominated the game by recording 2 sacks, forcing 4 turnovers, and allowing only 149 yards...
|-
| 1988 || Cincinnati Bengals
1988 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 1988 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 21st year in professional football and its 19th with the National Football League.The Bengals were a team on the rebound. During the 1987 strike-shortened season, quarterback Boomer Esiason and head coach Sam Wyche had openly feuded, and the team...
|| 12–4–0 || Lost Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
|-
| 1989 || Cleveland Browns
1989 Cleveland Browns season
The 1989 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 40th season with the National Football League.-Staff:-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:-References:...
|| 9–6–1 || Lost AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1989-90
The NFL playoffs following the 1989 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXIV.This was the last season in which the NFL used a 10-team playoff format. The league would expand the playoffs to 12 teams next season....
|-
| 1990 || Cincinnati Bengals
1990 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 1990 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 23rd year in professional football and its 21st with the National Football League.-Schedule:-Roster:-AFC Divisional Playoff:-Awards and records:...
|| 9–7–0 || Lost Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1990-91
The NFL playoffs following the 1990 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXV.The league expanded its playoff system from a 10-team to a 12-team tournament...
|-
| 1991 || Houston Oilers
1991 Houston Oilers season
-Regular season:* October 13, 1991 – Warren Moon threw for 423 yards against the New York Jets.* November 10, 1991 – Warren Moon threw for 432 yards against the Dallas Cowboys...
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1991-92
The NFL playoffs following the 1991 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXVI.-Bracket:-AFC: Kansas City Chiefs 10, Los Angeles Raiders 6:Chiefs Quarterback Steve DeBerg completed a play-action 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Fred Jones in the second quarter, which was the difference in K.C.'s...
|-
| 1992 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1992 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The Pittsburgh Steelers celebrated their 60th Anniversary season in 1992. This was also Bill Cowher's first season as head coach following the retirement of Chuck Noll after 23 seasons. The team was coming off a 7–9 season in 1991....
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1992-93
The NFL playoffs following the 1992 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXVII.-Bracket:-NFC: Washington Redskins 24, Minnesota Vikings 7:Running back Brian Mitchell led the Redskins to the 24-7 victory with 109 rushing yards and 100 total yards on receptions and punt returns...
|-
| 1993 || Houston Oilers
1993 Houston Oilers season
-Regular season:The Buddy Ryan-led defense helped propel the Oilers to an 11-game winning streak to end the 1993 regular season, only to be upset by Joe Montana and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Astrodome during the Divisional Round of the playoffs. He was most notably involved in a sideline...
|| 12–4–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1993-94
The NFL playoffs following the 1993 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXVIII. Since the 1993 regular season was conducted over 18 weeks , the traditional bye week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl was removed.-Bracket:...
|-
| 1994 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1994 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1994 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers marked their third consecutive trip to the playoffs under head coach Bill Cowher. For the second time in Cowher's three seasons as head coach of the Steelers the team was the top seed in the AFC playoffs...
|| 12–4–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1994-95
The NFL playoffs following the 1994 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXIX.-Bracket:-NFC: Green Bay Packers 16, Detroit Lions 12:The Packers defense held Lions running back Barry Sanders to -1 rushing yards, while holding Detroit to 12 points and -4 yards on the ground. Green Bay scored first when...
|-
| 1995 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1995 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1995 season saw the Steelers return to the Super Bowl for the first time in sixteen years . The team's 11–5 finish was good enough for the AFC Central championship and the second seed in the conference...
|| 11–5–0 || Lost Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
|-
| 1996 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1996 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Bill Cowher's fifth season as head coach of the Steelers resulted in yet another trip to the playoffs for the team, as Pittsburgh won the AFC Central Division championship for the fourth time under Cowher. However, the team's 10–6 record was not good enough to earn the Steelers a first-round bye...
|| 10–6–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1996-97
The NFL playoffs following the 1996 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXI. This post-season was remarkable in that the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers each made it all the way to their respective conference championships, only two years after their inception into the league as expansion...
|-
| 1997 || Pittsburgh Steelers
1997 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1997 Pittsburgh Steelers was considered a transitional year heading into the season due to many key free agent losses in the offseason, as well as the first season of Kordell Stewart starting at quarterback....
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1997-98
The NFL playoffs following the 1997 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXII.-Bracket:-NFC: Minnesota Vikings 23, New York Giants 22:The Vikings scored 10 points in the final 90 seconds of the game to stun the Giants.-AFC: Denver Broncos 42, Jacksonville Jaguars 17:Denver ran over the Jaguars with...
|-
| 1998 || Jacksonville Jaguars
1998 Jacksonville Jaguars season
The 1998 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the team's fourth year in the National Football League. The Jaguars appeared twice on Monday Night Football.-Staff:-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Awards and records:...
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1998-99
The NFL playoffs following the 1998 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXIII.-Bracket:* Indicates overtime victory-AFC: Miami Dolphins 24, Buffalo Bills 17:...
|-
| 1999 || Jacksonville Jaguars
1999 Jacksonville Jaguars season
The 1999 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the team's fifth year in the National Football League. Wide receiver Jimmy Smith set a franchise record for most receptions and receiving yards in one season. Smith would finish second in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,636 yards. The Jaguars' regular...
|| 14–2–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1999-2000
The NFL playoffs following the 1999 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXIV.These playoffs were notable in that all outdoor games were played with gametime temperatures of 50°F or higher, making for one of the warmest playoff seasons of all time...
|-
| 2000++ || Tennessee Titans
2000 Tennessee Titans season
The 2000 Tennessee Titans season was the Titans' 41st season and their 31st in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Standings:-AFC Divisional Playoff:...
|| 13–3–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 2000-01
The NFL playoffs following the 2000 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXV.This would be the last time that playoff games would be played at the accustomed times of 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST...
|-
| 2001 || Pittsburgh Steelers
2001 Pittsburgh Steelers season
In 2001, after 3 mediocre seasons in which they had a combined regular-season record of 22-26, the Steelers returned to the top seed in the AFC, rolling to a 13-3 record in their first season playing at Heinz Field...
|| 13–3–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 2001-02
The NFL playoffs following the 2001 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXVI.For the first time, the NFL scheduled prime time playoff games for the first two rounds in an attempt to attract more television viewers. Saturday wild card and divisional playoff games were moved from 12:30 p.m. and 4:00...
|-
| colspan="4" align="center" | AFC North
|-
|-
| 2002 || Pittsburgh Steelers
2002 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2002 Pittsburgh Steelers season had the team coming off a 13–3 record and making an appearance in the AFC Championship Game. The team fell off slightly to a 10–5–1 record, although it was still good enough for a division championship. With their finish the Steelers became the first champions of...
|| 10–5–1 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 2002-03
The 2002-03 NFL playoffs followed the 2002 NFL season and concluded with Super Bowl XXXVII.Prior to the 2002-03 season, the league realigned its teams into eight divisions . Thus, the 12-team playoff format was modified...
|-
| 2003 || Baltimore Ravens
2003 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2003 Baltimore Ravens season was the team's eighth season in the NFL. They improved upon their previous output of 7–9, instead winning 10 games and making a playoff appearance...
|| 10–6–0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 2004 || Pittsburgh Steelers
2004 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers looked to rebound after a disappointing 6–10 season the year before, which saw the team go through the entire season without winning consecutive games....
|| 15–1–0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 2004-05
The NFL playoffs following the 2004 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXIX.-NFC: St. Louis Rams 27, Seattle Seahawks 20:Although the Rams barely made the playoffs with an 8–8 record, two of their regular season wins were against Seattle...
|-
| 2005++ || Cincinnati Bengals
2005 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 2005 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 38th year in professional football and its 36th with the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Postseason:...
|| 11–5–0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 2005-06
The National Football League playoffs for the 2005 season began on January 7, 2006 and led up to Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan....
|-
| 2006 || Baltimore Ravens
2006 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2006 Baltimore Ravens season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record in 2005. The Ravens, for the first time in franchise history, started 4–0. The Ravens' ended the regular season with a team-best 13–3 record. The Ravens clinched the AFC North title, 1st-round bye...
||13–3–0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 2006-07
The National Football League playoffs for the 2006 season began on January 6, 2007 and led up to Super Bowl XLI on February 4, 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.-AFC: Indianapolis Colts 23, Kansas City Chiefs 8:...
|-
| 2007 || Pittsburgh Steelers
2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the 75th season of the Steelers franchise. The season saw the team improve upon their 8–8 record from 2006, finish with a record of 10–6, and win the AFC North Division...
||10–6–0 || Lost AFC Wild Card playoffs
|-
| 2008 || Pittsburgh Steelers
2008 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 76th season in the National Football League . The season concluded with the team winning Super Bowl XLIII to become the first franchise in the NFL with six Super Bowl titles....
||12–4–0 || Won Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
|-
| 2009 || Cincinnati Bengals
2009 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 2009 Cincinnati Bengals season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and their 42nd overall. They finished the season at 10–6–0, and sweeping the entire AFC North division, they improved on their 2008 record of 4–11–1, winning the AFC North Division and making the...
||10–6–0 || Lost AFC Wild Card playoffs
|-
| 2010 || Pittsburgh Steelers
2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 78th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League and the eleventh season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the fourth under head coach Mike Tomlin...
||12-4-0 || Lost Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
+ A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games. Because of the strike, the league used for its playoffs a special 16-team "Super Bowl Tournament" just for this year. Division standings were not formally acknowledged (although every division wound up sending at least one team to the playoffs); Cincinnati had the best record of the division teams.
++ Baltimore and Pittsburgh went on to win Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
and Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
, respectively, as wild card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
teams.
See Also
- Battle of OhioBattle of OhioBattle of Ohio may refer to:* Battle of Ohio , a baseball rivalry between the Cleveland Indians and the Cincinnati Reds* Battle of Ohio , American football rivalry between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals...
- Bengals-Steelers rivalryBengals-Steelers rivalryThe Bengals-Steelers rivalry is a rivalry in the NFL. The two teams have played each other twice a year since becoming division rivals in 1970, the lone exception being 1982, when the annual matchup in Cincinnati was canceled due to the player's strike; the teams only met in Week 2 in Pittsburgh...
- Browns-Steelers rivalryBrowns-Steelers rivalryThe Browns–Steelers rivalry is one of the most storied rivalries in the NFL. With 117 meetings and counting, it is the oldest rivalry and the most storied in the American Football Conference , surpassing any other rivalry in the conference by at least 5 contests. The two divisional foes have a...
- Steelers-Ravens rivalrySteelers-Ravens rivalryThe rivalry between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers is one of the most intense in the National Football League. Both teams are members of the AFC North division, and play at least twice a year in what are often battles for divisional supremacy...
Total playoff berths
{| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Team !! Championships !! Playoff Berths
|-steelers rule
| Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
|| 20 || 25
|-
| Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
|| 9 || 15
|-
| Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
|| 8 || 9
|-
| Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
|| 3 || 12
|-
|| Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
|| 2 || 7
|-
| Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
|| 2 || 4
|-
|| New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
|| 0 || 0
|-
|| New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
|| 0 || 0
|-
|| St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
|| 0 || 0
|-