The AFC North has been the toughest division in football since its inception in 2002 with the NFL’s realignment. That is far from the case in 2025 as the division has fallen on hard times. It isn’t just bad, it’s historically bad—the Pittsburgh Steelers must take advantage.
The AFC North has had a slightly lower winning percentage than the AFC East since 2002, but that is largely skewed by the dominance of the New England Patriots. The East wasn’t exactly the most competitive division for most of the last two decades. Three AFC North teams have won the division crown six or more times during that span.