There were some shocking playoff teams coming out of the AFC. Let's power rank those teams for 2025.
I am not sure many people expected the Denver Broncos, for example, to make the playoffs in the AFC, but here we are. With the way the conference went in 2024, we could see some even more shocking things go down in the 2025 NFL Season.
The AFC does appear to be a very deep conference, so it could be a total bloodbath for those coveted playoff seeds. Let's rank the seven AFC playoff teams for the 2025 season.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking the seven playoff teams in the AFC for 2025
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers would have been ranked seventh even if they did not sign Aaron Rodgers, and with Rodgers in the picture, they're still last. Pittsburgh has not taken the QB position seriously over the past few seasons, and it's shaping up to be another nine or 10-win season with nothing to show for in the postseason.
You would have to think that the Steelers are going to at least get moderately serious next offseason with the QB position, right? Right???
Pittsburgh is going to hang around the AFC playoff picture all year and is at least good for a winning record in 2025, but this team is not going anywhere of note.
6. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers got their rear ends handed to them in the AFC Wild Card Round against the Houston Texans, and we saw Justin Herbert collapse when the team needed him the most. I am honestly wondering if Herbert's ceiling is going to prevent this Chargers team from making any sort of deep playoff run.
If so, they're in trouble. LA did seem to get a bit better this offseason, but they feel comfortably out of the 'contender' status for 2025 and are probably again going to be one of those good-not-great teams.