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.

Historical helmets can be found on the The Helmet Project website.

Division Navigation

• Division Teams
• Team Profiles
• 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-)

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 Profiles

Baltimore Ravens (1996-present)

• M&T Bank Stadium (1998–present)
• Memorial Stadium (1996–1997)

• National Football League (1996–present)
  • American Football Conference (1996–present)
    • AFC Central (1970–present)
    • AFC North (2002–present)

• AFL Championships: None
• Super Bowl Titles: 2000 (XXXV), 2012 (XLVII)

• AFC: 2000, 2012

• AFC North: 2003, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024

• NFL: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024

Cincinnati Bengals (1968–present)

• American Football League (1968–1969)
  • AFL West (1968–1969)

• National Football League (1970–present)
  • American Football Conference (1970–present)
    • AFC Central (1970–2001)
    • AFC North (2002–present)

• Nippert Stadium (1968–1969)
• Cinergy Field / Riverfront Stadium (1970–1999)
• Paycor Stadium (2000–present)

League Titles (Super Bowl): 0

• AFC:1981, 1988, 2021

• AFC Central: 1970, 1973, 1981, 1988, 1990
• AFC North: 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2021, 2022

• 1970, 1973, 1975, 1981, 1982, 1988, 1990, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022

Cleveland Browns (1946–1995, 1999–present)

• Cleveland Browns (1946–1995, 1999–present)
• Suspended operations (1996–1998)

• Cleveland Stadium (1946–1995)
• Huntington Bank Field (1999–present)
• New Huntington Bank Field (c. 2029)

• All-America Football Conference (1946–1949)
  • Western Division (1946–1948)
  • National Football League (1950–present)
    • American Conference (1950–1952)
    • Eastern Conference (1953–1969)
      • Century Division (1967–1969)
    • American Football Conference (1970–1995; 1999–present)
    • Eastern Conference (1953–1969)
      • AFC Central (1970–1995; 1999–2001)
      • AFC North (2002–present)

• AAFC championships (4): 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949
• NFL championships (pre-1970 AFL–NFL merger) (4): 1950, 1954, 1955, 1964

Conference Championships: 11

• NFL American: 1950, 1951, 1952
• NFL Eastern: 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969

• AAFC Western: 1946, 1947, 1948
• NFL Century: 1967, 1968, 1969
• AFC Central: 1971, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989

Playoff Appearances: 18

• AAFC: 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949
• 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 2002, 2020, 2023

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Pittsburgh Pirates (1933–1939)
• Pittsburgh Steelers (1940–1942)
• Phil-Pitt "Steagles" (1943)
• Card-Pitt (1944)
• Pittsburgh Steelers (1945–present)

• Acrisure Stadium / Heinz Field (2001–present)
• Three Rivers Stadium (1970–2000)
• Pitt Stadium (1933–1969)

• National Football League (1933–present)
  • Eastern Division (1933–1943, 1945–1949)
  • Western Division (1944)
  • American Conference (1950–1952)
  • Eastern Conference (1953–1969)
    • Century Division (1967–1969)
  • American Football Conference (1970–1995; 1999–present)
  • Eastern Conference (1953–1969)
    • AFC Central (1970–2001)
    • AFC North (2002–present)

• 1974 (IX), 1975 (X), 1978 (XIII), 1979 (XIV), 2005 (XL), 2008 (XLIII)

• 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1995, 2005, 2008, 2010

• AFC Central: 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001
• AFC North: 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2025

Playoff Appearances: 36

• 1947, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025

Division History

AFC Central (1970-2001)

AFC North (2002-)

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.