Something feels different about the AFC North heading into 2025

The AFC North is historically one of the NFL’s most competitive divisions. The battles between the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Cleveland Browns are always physical. From an era of ferocious defenses to today’s high-powered offenses, AFC North rivalries have been must-see TV.

Going into the 2025 season, the rivalries are beginning to die down. It’s no longer a division filled to the brim with fierce playoff contenders anymore. The division still occupies two of the best teams in the NFL, but the rest is not as feared, and the AFC North is beginning to fall off its pedestal as the league’s most dominant.

AFC North falls in recent division power rankings

Trevor Sikkema on Pro Football Focus ranked the eight divisions across the NFL ahead of the 2025 season. The AFC North sits in fourth place, behind the NFC North, AFC West, and NFC West. While still considered the second-best division in the AFC, the AFC North is no longer what it used to be.

The Ravens and Bengals carry this division on their backs. Both teams were consistent competitors in the early to mid-2010s, and in 2025, they are at the top of their games. Two of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL inhabit the division, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. The duo demands primetime spots on the schedule, and it is no wonder why their division continues to be one of the most prominent. But the depth in the North has fallen.

You can’t tell the story of the NFL without the Steelers. As one of the most storied franchises, they’ve been a backbone for the AFC North. Their rivalries with the Ravens and Bengals throughout the 2000s headlined the league, though the 2020s have been a different story. 

Head Coach Mike Tomlin has kept Pittsburgh in contention every year, but they’re no longer a dangerous playoff team. Gone are the days of the hard-hitting division battles, as well. For the past few years, the Steelers have been searching for a new identity and franchise quarterback on offense, and with an uninspired offensive attack, they are no longer considered a legitimate threat.

The Browns also lost a step, falling back to the laughing stock of the league that they were over the last two decades. Cleveland looked to be on the rise during the Baker Mayfield years and early in Kevin Stefanski’s tenure, but all of it has blown up in their faces following the blockbuster trade for Deshaun Watson. While the early 2020s saw some outstanding matchups with AFC North foes, the 2024 Browns finished tied for the worst record in football, and 2025 will likely be another dumpster fire in Cleveland. 

The top of this division is one of the best. The Ravens versus Bengals rivalry has grown into two of the best games each year. However, the lack of serious competition behind the two elite teams and the growth of other divisions across football has led to the AFC North becoming an afterthought. 

More Balti