Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NFC West helmets of the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine Experience at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Several UCLA Bruins Play in Toughest Division in the NFL

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Brock Vierra | Last updated May 27, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Los Angeles Rams play in what has been the toughest division in football this century. There is no doubt about it.

Since the 2012 NFL season, there have been 13 Super Bowls played. The NFC representative has come from the NFC West on seven of those occasions, with the 49ers making three appearances, and the Rams and the Seahawks combining for four total, two each.

Out of the remaining contests, the Eagles have made the game three times, and the NFC South has made the game three times, with the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers accounting for one appearance each.

That's a theme that we're going to notice as we look at football since 2000. Dating back to the 1999 NFL season, since the Super Bowl was played in 2000, the NFC representative has come from the NFC West on 11 of those 26 occasions. The West and the NFC South are the only divisions in the entire NFL to have all four members participate in the Super Bowl this millennium.

However, the NFC East has seven, with the Eagles securing four titles and the Giants securing three, the NFC South only has six Super Bowl appearances within that timeline and the NFC North has two appearances total.

So, where is the love for the NFC West? The Rams' defense is commanded by UCLA alum Quentin Lake, the Seahawks have Zach Charbonnet and Jake Bobo, Arizona has Jon Gaines II and Krys Barnes and the 49ers have Jake Brendel.

Thus, Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema named the NFC West as the third toughest division in football.

"If the Cardinals take the next step — and there’s reason to believe they can — the NFC West could turn into a four-team slugfest," Sikkema wrote. Kyler Murray quietly posted his second-highest big-time throw rate (4.7%) in 2024 while keeping his turnover-worthy play percentage at a career-low 2.4%. With the defensive reinforcements Arizona added this offseason, they’re well-positioned to push for a 10-win campaign."

"The Rams remain one of the toughest outs in the league, and if not for the blizzard in their playoff game against the Eagles, they might have been on their way to the NFC Championship Game. Seattle faces more uncertainty, with Sam Darnold stepping in at quarterback and no D.K. Metcalf in the receiving corps.

"As for the 49ers, health will be the biggest variable, but one key area they addressed was the run defense, which ranked 28th in the NFL last year in terms of run-defense grade. Their draft class should go a long way toward correcting that."

Considering the NFC West sends more teams to the Super Bowl than any other conference over the past 26 years, that's the hardest division in football. Sikkema listed the AFC West and NFC North above the NFC West, but here are the facts.

The AFC West is not tough. Kansas City is. Outside of the Chiefs, the division has made the Super Bowl on three different occasions since the 1999 season, and two of them ended up in blowout losses. Kansas City was also blown out of the Super Bowl twice, but they have three rings in the past seven years, so who cares?

Currently, the division went 2-3 in the 24-25 playoffs with the Chargers and Broncos suffering blowout losses.

Not as bad as the NFC North, which went 0-3 with an average loss margin of 14.6 points.

The NFC West is also the only division in the NFC to have all of its teams make the playoffs since the 2021 NFL season. The NFC West has also accounted for the NFC representative in four of the last seven Super Bowls.

A tough path to travel for the Bruins still playing football in the western half of the country.