The 2025 NFL Season brought some majorly shocking division finishes. Not many people thought that the New England Patriots were going to win 14 games, and I am not sure many thought that the Jacksonville Jaguars were going to break out in year one of the Liam Coen era.
Those wild things happened, and it could set the stage for an even crazier season in 2026. It is likely that a few divisions look wildly different this year than they did in the 2025 campaign. However, is there a chance that a handful of divisions field the same exact standings?
Let's dive into four divisions that we believe could finish with the same standings from 2025 into 2026.
Predicting four divisions that could look exactly the same from 2025 into 2026
AFC East (Patriots, Bills, Dolphins, Jets)
As unlikely as it was to see the Patriots winning the AFC East last year, could the same thing happen in 2026? The main thing that could go in the Patriots favor is the Buffalo Bills sporting a new head coach, While Joe Brady was already with the franchise, there is no guarantee that he'll pan out as a head coach.
And while many of us believed that the Patriots won primarily because of an ultra easy schedule, there is always a chance that the Pats are simply a great team and are not going anywhere. As for Miami and New York, two of the worst teams in the NFL, it's really a tossup as to which club finishes last, but the Dolphins could get some efficient quarterback play from Malik Willis, and the Jets, on the other hand, are going to trot out Geno Smith, who has played benchable-level football for multiple years now.
AFC South (Jaguars, Texans, Colts, Titans)
While the Houston Texans do have the better roster overall, we have seen quarterback CJ Stroud play some painfully average football over the past two seasons, and this is primarily who he has been throughout his career now. He broke out in a big way as a rookie back in 2023, but that is now approaching three years ago, which is a lifetime in the NFL.
The Jaguars have a stellar coaching staff, and a quarterback in Trevor Lawrence who ended up being an MVP candidate. Jacksonville won 13 games last year, and it clearly was not a fluke. Indianapolis and Tennessee both have things to be optimistic about, but the Colts might not have an answer at quarterback, and the Titans are clearly still on the earlier side of this rebuild.
AFC West (Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders)
Our third division that could finish with the same standings in 2026 is the AFC West. The Denver Broncos won the division with three games to spare in 2025, finishing with a stellar 14-3 record. The Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Las Vegas Raiders combined for 20 wins, with the Chiefs and Raiders combining for just nine.
The Chargers just did not make enough roster moves in the offseason to leapfrog the Broncos. On paper, Denver is still a significantly better football team. The Chiefs, while always a threat, weren't that great even when Patrick Mahomes was healthy and in the lineup.
The wide receiver room is still a mess, and defensively, there are roster concerns all over the place. The same front office that got the Chiefs in this roster mess were the ones making all the moves this offseason, so I am not sure how one could be optimistic about a rebound.
The Raiders do seem to be building something notable, as Fernando Mendoza could be a viable long-term solution, but this is clearly a rebuild, and with Kirk Cousins in the room, the Raiders are wanting to take it slower with Mendoza.
The Broncos are flat-out loaded and might not have to do much heavy-lifting in the AFC West to capture the division for a second year in a row.
NFC East (Eagles, Cowboys, Commanders, Giants)
All four teams in the NFC East seem to have some major concern. The Philadelphia Eagles traded AJ Brown and are now missing that explosive element from the offense. Jalen Hurts is a limited quarterback, so the offense is again something to keep an eye on.
The Dallas Cowboys did add a lot to the defense this past offseason, but given how bad it was in 2025, all of the newness is not guaranteed to fix things, so we could still see that unit struggling in 2025. I am personally optimistic, but you're asking a lot from that side of the ball after a league-worst season.
The Washington Commanders did spend a lot in free agency to improve the roster, but this team won just five games last year, and it's not common to see a significant change in win total year-over-year. Washington should be better, but another few wins could still have them in third place.
And the dysfunctional New York Giants might need a year to figure things out before truly hitting their stride. John Harbaugh was a great hire, but Harbaugh might be more of a floor-raiser at this point, and the quarterback, Jaxson Dart, is the least-proven in the division.
The Giants do fit into that breakout team tier for 2026, but a lot would have to go right for that to happen.