AFC North winners by year include Cincinnati Bengals in 2022 and 2021, Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020, and Baltimore Ravens in 2019 and 2018.
AFC North division is among the four divisions of the AFC in the National Football League which was previously known as AFC Central. The current name was adopted in 2002, marked by the restructuring of the same year’s NFL season.
That season, the League had to realign the divisions as it was expanded to 32 teams. It consists of four teams; Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Cleveland Browns.
The division was made in 1970. Houston Oilers, present-day Tennessee Titans, was also a charter member during the time. Though not counted as one of the strongest divisions, it has some of the most efficient teams in the League.
Since its establishment, the Steelers have had the highest divisional titles count of 24 and the second most wins go to the Bengals who have 10 Division titles. The Ravens and the Browns hold 6 wins each in the divisional championship games.
The Steelers also have 8 AFC championships, the most in the division.
AFC North Champions Last 20 Years
Pittsburgh Steelers have won 9 AFC North titles in the last 20 years. Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals follow with 6 titles each.
Browns have yet to clinch the North divisional title since inception. They won the AFC Central back in 1989.
| Year | Team Name |
| 2022 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2021 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2020 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2019 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2018 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2017 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2016 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2015 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2014 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2013 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2012 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2011 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2010 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2009 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2008 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2007 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2006 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2005 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2004 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2003 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2002 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
Though the division has been losing its strength over time, it was considered among the strongest divisions in the NFL in the decades of the 2000s and 2010s.
The decade of realignment of the divisions in the League began with the Ravens’ victory in the Super Bowl XXXV in 2001. The defense of the team that season is arguably the best defense of all time.
If we look at the playoff berths, the number for the Steelers counts the most i.e. 32. The whole division bears eight Super Bowl wins among which 6 belong to the Steelers.
The other team in Northern division to win Super Bowl is the Ravens and the team has gone for 2 victories. The interesting part is although the whole division has eight Super Bowls, none of the teams has ever hosted the Super Bowl Championship in their stadium.
Last year, the Bengals got their hands on the division title maintaining a 12-4 record. They lost the Conference Championship to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals has won 6 AFC North Championships since the League renamed the division to the present-day title in 2002. It has 10 total titles since 1970.
The squad divisional W-L-T records read 161-173-4 from 338 games played in total and have gone for 838 touchdowns with 21.9 average points per game.
The Bengals have made three Super Bowl appearances one in 1981, 1988, and 2021 since the inception of the division but have never won a single title.
The team has already played 56 seasons in the NFL and made 16 playoffs in total. In the past 10 seasons, the squad has made it to 4 playoffs and won a total of 5 playoff games.
The all-time best start of the Bengals season can be named the 2015 season where the team started with 8-0. The second best is that of 1975 when the Bengals had it started at 6-0.
Bengals Divisional Titles Victories Over The Years
- 2022: 12-4 record
- 2021: 10-7 record
- 2015: 12-4 record
- 2013: 11-5 record
- 2009: 10-5 record
- 2005: 11-5 record
Despite winning the division championship, the team lost the Conference Championship in 2022, the Super Bowl in 2021, and the Wild Card Round in 2015, 2013, 2009, and 2005.
The last time the Bengals made the playoffs was in 2022 and missed it in 2020. The team finished their last season sixth in the League and third in the conference which was an improvement from 9th and 4th position in the League and the conference respectively.
In 2002, their League’s rank was #32 and their position in the conference was #16. The present stats are a massive improvement from what they were 20 years ago.
The Bengals hold an all-time playoff record of 10-16. In a total of 16 playoff appearances, the squad has gone for 55 touchdowns and maintained a .385 win percentage which is much less as compared to those of the Steelers.
The team records in the last 20 years in the League read 159-158-4 from a total of 321 games played until 12 September 2023. The squad has a total of 3 conference championships.
The club plays its home games in Paycor Stadium located in Downtown Cincinnati. It stands in second position in the AFC North in terms of division titles and conference championships.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns have 6 division titles in their name. They have never won a single championship after the divisions were realigned by the NFL.
Their six AFC Central titles were in 1971, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1989. They have played 339 divisional games and recorded 116-222-1 with a total of 685 TDs and 18.4 PPG.
As of the last season, the Browns have appeared in 1036 games in the League in total and have successfully maintained the L-W-T record of 501-524-11.
Although the team has not recorded a victory in any championship lately, it was four times from 1950 to 1964 when the Super Bowl was not created.
It is also the only team in the division to never have won any Super Bowl title. The team has completed 71 seasons in the League and has played in 25 playoffs in total.
The best start of the season for the Browns was the 1953 season when they started at 11-0 and the second best was in 1963 at 6-0. The worst start can be named to the year 2017 when they started at 0-16.
If we look at the past 10 seasons, the franchise has appeared in only one playoff and won a single game in that and held a winning percentage of 35%.
The Browns won NFL Championships in 1950, 1954, 1955, and 1964. The team won their last playoff game in 2020 when they defeated their biggest rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round.
It was the same year when the team lost its last playoff game playing against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round. The team missed their playoff recently in 2022.
Browns Last 10 Playoff Appearances Result
- 2020: 17-22 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round
- 2002: 33-36 Wild Card Round knockout by Pittsburgh Steelers
- 1994: 9-29 Divisional Round loss to Pittsburgh Steelers
- 1989: 21-37 loss to Denver Broncos in the Conference Championship
- 1988: 23-24 loss to Houston Oilers in the Wild Card Round
- 1987: 33-38 loss to Denver Broncos in Conference Championship
- 1986: 20-23 Conference Championship loss to the Broncos
- 1985: 21-24 loss to Miami Dolphins in the Divisional Round
- 1982: 10-27 Wild Card Round knock out by Los Angeles Raiders
- 1980: 12-14 Divisional Round loss to Oakland Raiders
Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers have 9 AFC North Championships since 2002. The number is 24 since the inception of the division back in 1970 which is the most among others.
In the division, the franchise has recorded a 213-123-3 (W-L-T) record from 339 games played in total and has 864 touchdowns and an average point per game was 23.0.
The team also has six of the eight Super Bowls in the Division. The first one came in 1974 and the second repeatedly in 1975. The next two also came in a row again in 1978 and 1979.
After the division was renamed in 2002, the final two Super Bowl Wins for the team were in 2006 and 2009. The Steelers also hold the most AFC Conference Championship victory which counts to 8. It is higher than all other CCs combined in the American Football Conference North i.e. 3 of the Bengals and 2 of the Ravens.
Steelers record and the year of their divisional title
- 2020: 12-4 record
- 2017: 13-3 record
- 2016: 11-5 record
- 2014: 11-5 record
- 2010: 12-4 record
- 2008: 12-4 record
- 2007: 10-6 record
- 2004: 15-1 record
- 2002: 10-5-1 record
As of now, the franchise has appeared in 33 playoffs. Their last appearance was in 2021 when they lost in the Wild Card Round. The 2016 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round was the last playoff win for the team.
They missed the playoff of the 2022 season. The team has appeared in the Super Bowl eight times and has won six of them in total. The best start of the season for the squad was that of 2020 at 11-0 and the second best was recorded back in 1978 when they commenced at 7-0.
In the past 10 years, the Steelers have made themselves to 6 playoffs and have won 3 games in them. The winning percentage has remained at 63.3% for the past seasons.
The team has already played 89 seasons in the League and appeared in 1,254 games in total as of the 2022 season. Their W-L-T record reads 661-571-22.
The club plays its home games at Acrisure Stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It’s headquarters is in UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
Baltimore Ravens
Ravens have won 6 division titles since their association with AFC Central in 1996. The team also has two Conference Championships in their name.
The squad’s all-time W-L record in the division is 198-141 acquired from a total of 339 games played. Their touchdown-to-date counts to 835 and the average points per game is 22.9.
The team has won two Super Bowl titles, one in 2000 and another in 2012. It is also the only other team in that division to win the Championship after 2000.
Raven’s divisional championship record by year
- 2019: 14-2 record
- 2018: 10-6 record
- 2012: 10-6 record
- 2011: 12-4 record
- 2006: 13-3 record
- 2003: 10-6 record
The Ravens have played in 28 seasons until 2023 and made it to 14 playoffs. Their last appearance was in 2022 where they lost in the Wild Card Round.
The team’s last playoff win was in 2020 when they beat the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card Round. They last missed the playoffs in 2021.
The best start of the season for the team was back in 2006 when they started at 4-0 and the worst was a 0-3 start in the 2015 season.
In the League, they hold an all-time W-L-T record of 244-190-1 and a playoff record of 16-12. In the last 10 seasons, the squad has played in 5 playoffs and won 2 games in them.
They maintained a winning percentage of 58.5% for the past years and is among the strongest team in the division. The accomplishments are not less as they came in a short period of time as compared to other teams.