AFC
NORTH DIVISION
The Division was created after the NFL realigned its divisions upon expanding to 32 teams for the 2002 NFL season. Prior to this realignment, these teams were members of the AFC Central Division, along with the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Division Champion qualifies for the NFL Playoffs along with a Wild Card team with the next best record on the road to the Super Bowl.
Division Navigation
- Division Teams
- Team Records
- Division History
- Division Champions
Division Teams
TEAMS
STADIUM
AFC
SB
FIRST SEASON
BALTIMORE
RAVENS
1996
2
2
M&T BANK STADIUM
(BALTIMORE, MD)
(1998-)
CINCINNATI
BENGALS
1968 (AFL)
1970 (NFL)
3
0
PAYCOR STADIUM
(CINCINNATI, OH)
(2000-)
CLEVELAND
BROWNS
1946 (AAFC)
1950 (NFL)
0
0
Huntington Bank
FIELD
(CLEVELAND, OH)
(1999-2028)
New Huntington Bank Field
(Brook Park, OH)
(2029-)
PITTSBURGH
STEELERS
1933
8
6
ACRISURE STADIUM
(PITTSBURGH, PA)
(2001-)
LEGEND
Cleveland Browns
In 1995, owner Art Modell, who had purchased the Browns in 1961, announced plans to move the team to Baltimore but due to legal action from both the city of Cleveland and their fans, it was agreed to approve the new Baltimore Ravens and to suspend the Cleveland Browns with a guaranteed return no later than the 1999 season but are not considered an expansion franchise.
Team Records
Baltimore Ravens
League Titles (AFL/NFL Super Bowl): 2
Conference Championships: 2
Division Titles: 6
- AFC North: 2003, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019
Playoff Appearances: 14
Division History
AFC Central (1970-2001)
1970-1994
CINCINNATI BENGALS
CLEVELAND BROWNS
HOUSTON OILERS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
1995
CINCINNATI BENGALS
CLEVELAND BROWNS
HOUSTON OILERS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Jacksonville Jaguars (Expansion)
1996
CINCINNATI BENGALS
HOUSTON OILERS
Jacksonville Jaguars
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Baltimore Ravens (Expansion)
CLEVELAND BROWNS (suspended operations until 1999)
1997
Baltimore Ravens
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Jacksonville Jaguars
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
HOUSTON OILERS > Tennessee Oilers (Memphis,TN)
1998
Baltimore Ravens
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Jacksonville Jaguars
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Tennessee Oilers > Nashville,TN
1999-2001
Baltimore Ravens
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Jacksonville Jaguars
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Cleveland Browns (expansion)
Tennessee Oilers > Tennessee Titans
AFC North (2002-)
2002-
Baltimore Ravens
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Cleveland Browns
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Jacksonville Jaguars > AFC South
Tennessee Titans > AFC South
DIVISION CHAMPIONS
The current season champions and standings are listed below.
SEASON
TEAM
1970
Cincinnati Bengals (1)
1971
Cleveland Browns (1)
1972
Pittsburgh Steelers (1)
1973
Cincinnati Bengals (2)
1974
Pittsburgh Steelers (2)
1975
Pittsburgh Steelers (3)
1976
Pittsburgh Steelers (4)
1977
Pittsburgh Steelers (5)
1978
Pittsburgh Steelers (6)
1979
Pittsburgh Steelers (7)
1980
Cleveland Browns (2)
1981
Cincinnati Bengals (3)
1982
Cincinnati Bengals (+)
1983
Pittsburgh Steelers (8)
1984
Pittsburgh Steelers (9)
1985
Cleveland Browns (3)
1986
Cleveland Browns (4)
1987
Cleveland Browns (5)
1988
Cincinnati Bengals (4)
1989
Cleveland Browns (6)
1990
Cincinnati Bengals (5)
1991
Houston Oilers (1)
1992
Pittsburgh Steelers (10)
1993
Houston Oilers (2)
1994
Pittsburgh Steelers (11)
1995
Pittsburgh Steelers (12)
1996
Pittsburgh Steelers (13)
1997
Pittsburgh Steelers (14)
1998
Jacksonville Jaguars (1)
1999
Jacksonville Jaguars (2)
2000
Tennessee Titans (3)
2001
Pittsburgh Steelers (15)
AFC North
2002
Pittsburgh Steelers (16)
2003
Baltimore Ravens (1)
2004
Pittsburgh Steelers (17)
2005
Cincinnati Bengals (6)
2006
Baltimore Ravens (2)
2007
Pittsburgh Steelers (18)
2008
Pittsburgh Steelers (19)
2009
Cincinnati Bengals (7)
2010
Pittsburgh Steelers (20)
2011
Baltimore Ravens (3)
2012
Baltimore Ravens (4)
2013
Cincinnati Bengals (8)
2014
Pittsburgh Steelers (21)
2015
Cincinnati Bengals (9)
2016
Pittsburgh Steelers (22)
2017
Pittsburgh Steelers (23)
2018
Baltimore Ravens (5)
2019
Baltimore Ravens (6)
2020
Pittsburgh Steelers (24)
2021
Cincinnati Bengals (10)
2022
Cincinnati Bengals (11)
2023
Baltimore Ravens (7)
2024
Baltimore Ravens (8)
2025
Pittsburgh Steelers (25)
Division Standings
Team
T
RT
Pittsburgh Steelers
25
2025
Cincinnati Bengals
11
2022
Baltimore Ravens
8
2024
Cleveland Browns
6
1989
Houston Oilers*
3
2000
Jacksonville Jaguars
2
1999
*Includes records of Houston & Tennessee Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) and Jacksonville Jaguars through 2001 season.
LEGEND
The Division was created after the NFL realigned its divisions upon expanding to 32 teams for the 2002 NFL season. Prior to this realignment, these teams were members of the AFC Central Division, along with the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Division Champion qualifies for the NFL Playoffs along with a Wild Card team with the next best record on the road to the Super Bowl.
- Division Teams
- Team Records
- Division History
- Division Champions
Division Navigation
Division Teams
TEAMS |
STADIUM | AFC | SB | FIRST SEASON | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
BALTIMORE RAVENS |
1996 | 2 | 2 | M&T BANK STADIUM
(BALTIMORE, MD) (1998-) |
|
CINCINNATI BENGALS |
1968 (AFL) 1970 (NFL) |
3 | 0 | PAYCOR STADIUM (CINCINNATI, OH) (2000-) |
|
CLEVELAND BROWNS |
1946 (AAFC) 1950 (NFL) |
0 | 0 | Huntington Bank FIELD (CLEVELAND, OH) (1999-2028) New Huntington Bank Field (Brook Park, OH) (2029-) |
|
PITTSBURGH STEELERS |
1933 | 8 | 6 | ACRISURE STADIUM (PITTSBURGH, PA) (2001-) |
LEGEND
Cleveland Browns
In 1995, owner Art Modell, who had purchased the Browns in 1961, announced plans to move the team to Baltimore but due to legal action from both the city of Cleveland and their fans, it was agreed to approve the new Baltimore Ravens and to suspend the Cleveland Browns with a guaranteed return no later than the 1999 season but are not considered an expansion franchise.
Team Records
Baltimore Ravens
League Titles (AFL/NFL Super Bowl): 2 Conference Championships: 2 Division Titles: 6- AFC North: 2003, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019
Division History
AFC Central (1970-2001)
| 1970-1994 | CINCINNATI BENGALS CLEVELAND BROWNS HOUSTON OILERS PITTSBURGH STEELERS |
| 1995 | CINCINNATI BENGALS CLEVELAND BROWNS HOUSTON OILERS PITTSBURGH STEELERS |
Jacksonville Jaguars (Expansion) |
|
| 1996 | CINCINNATI BENGALS HOUSTON OILERS Jacksonville Jaguars PITTSBURGH STEELERS |
Baltimore Ravens (Expansion) |
|
CLEVELAND BROWNS (suspended operations until 1999) |
|
| 1997 | Baltimore Ravens CINCINNATI BENGALS Jacksonville Jaguars PITTSBURGH STEELERS |
HOUSTON OILERS > Tennessee Oilers (Memphis,TN) |
|
| 1998 | Baltimore Ravens CINCINNATI BENGALS Jacksonville Jaguars PITTSBURGH STEELERS |
Tennessee Oilers > Nashville,TN |
|
| 1999-2001 | Baltimore Ravens CINCINNATI BENGALS Jacksonville Jaguars PITTSBURGH STEELERS |
Cleveland Browns (expansion) |
|
Tennessee Oilers > Tennessee Titans |
AFC North (2002-)
| 2002- | Baltimore Ravens CINCINNATI BENGALS Cleveland Browns PITTSBURGH STEELERS |
Jacksonville Jaguars > AFC South |
|
Tennessee Titans > AFC South |
DIVISION CHAMPIONS
The current season champions and standings are listed below.
| SEASON | TEAM |
|
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | | Cincinnati Bengals (1) |
| 1971 |
| Cleveland Browns (1) |
| 1972 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (1) |
| 1973 |
| Cincinnati Bengals (2) |
| 1974 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (2) |
| 1975 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (3) |
| 1976 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (4) |
| 1977 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (5) |
| 1978 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (6) |
| 1979 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (7) |
| 1980 |
| Cleveland Browns (2) |
| 1981 |
| Cincinnati Bengals (3) |
| 1982 |
| Cincinnati Bengals (+) |
| 1983 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (8) |
| 1984 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (9) |
| 1985 |
| Cleveland Browns (3) |
| 1986 |
| Cleveland Browns (4) |
| 1987 | | Cleveland Browns (5) |
| 1988 |
| Cincinnati Bengals (4) |
| 1989 |
| Cleveland Browns (6) |
| 1990 |
| Cincinnati Bengals (5) |
| 1991 | | Houston Oilers (1) |
| 1992 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (10) |
| 1993 | | Houston Oilers (2) |
| 1994 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (11) |
| 1995 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (12) |
| 1996 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (13) |
| 1997 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (14) |
| 1998 | | Jacksonville Jaguars (1) |
| 1999 | | Jacksonville Jaguars (2) |
| 2000 | | Tennessee Titans (3) |
| 2001 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (15) |
AFC North |
||
| 2002 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (16) |
| 2003 | | Baltimore Ravens (1) |
| 2004 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (17) |
| 2005 |
| Cincinnati Bengals (6) |
| 2006 | | Baltimore Ravens (2) |
| 2007 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (18) |
| 2008 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (19) |
| 2009 | | Cincinnati Bengals (7) |
| 2010 | | Pittsburgh Steelers (20) |
| 2011 | | Baltimore Ravens (3) |
| 2012 | | Baltimore Ravens (4) |
| 2013 | | Cincinnati Bengals (8) |
| 2014 | | Pittsburgh Steelers (21) |
| 2015 | | Cincinnati Bengals (9) |
| 2016 | | Pittsburgh Steelers (22) |
| 2017 | | Pittsburgh Steelers (23) |
| 2018 | | Baltimore Ravens (5) |
| 2019 | | Baltimore Ravens (6) |
| 2020 | | Pittsburgh Steelers (24) |
| 2021 | | Cincinnati Bengals (10) |
| 2022 | | Cincinnati Bengals (11) |
| 2023 | | Baltimore Ravens (7) |
| 2024 | | Baltimore Ravens (8) |
| 2025 | | Pittsburgh Steelers (25) |
Division Standings
| Team | T | RT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 25 | 2025 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 11 | 2022 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 8 | 2024 |
| Cleveland Browns | 6 | 1989 |
| Houston Oilers* | 3 | 2000 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2 | 1999 |
*Includes records of Houston & Tennessee Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) and Jacksonville Jaguars through 2001 season.