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NFC South

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NFC South
ConferenceNational Football Conference
LeagueNational Football League
SportAmerican football
Founded2002
No. of teams4
CountryUnited States
Most recent
champion
Carolina Panthers (6th title)
(2025)
Most titlesNew Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7 titles each)
Map
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250km
155miles
Saints
Panthers
Falcons
Buccaneers
NFC South Teams Location

The NFC South is one of the four divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created before the 2002 NFL season when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams.[1] Since its creation, the division has had the same four members: the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Before the 2002 season, the Buccaneers belonged to the AFC West (1976) and NFC Central (1977–2001) (with their four division rivals in the Upper Midwest), while the other three teams were part of the geographically inaccurate NFC West.

The NFC South is one of two divisions to have each of its teams make a Super Bowl appearance since the 2002 realignment (along with the NFC West): Tampa Bay (2002 and 2020), Atlanta (2016), Carolina (2003 and 2015) and New Orleans (2009). Also since 2002, each team has won at least four division titles, making it the only division that holds that distinction. On January 3, 2021, the Saints became the first-ever team to sweep the NFC South in the regular season, they nevertheless lost to the Buccaneers (eventual Super Bowl champions) in the playoffs.

Entering 2025, the Saints have the most wins and highest winning percentage among division members. The Saints' record is 417–480–5; their win in Super Bowl XLIV is the highlight of a 10–13 playoff record. The Falcons' record is 398–512–6 with a playoff record of 10–14; the Falcons lost in Super Bowls XXXIII and LI. The Buccaneers' record is 318–457–1 with a victory in both their Super Bowl appearances, Super Bowl XXXVII and Super Bowl LV, and an overall playoff record of 12–13. The Panthers have the best playoff winning percentage (9–8) of any team in the division with losses in Super Bowls XXXVIII and 50, with a regular season record of 195–204–1.

The NFC South is the only NFC division not to have any of the twelve "old-line" franchises that predate the 1960 launch of the American Football League, the NFL's former rival league. The oldest team is the Falcons, who began play in 1966, and the Saints began play only a year later in 1967. Each of the other NFC divisions has three clubs that began play earlier than 1960, while the remaining three such teams are in the American Football Conference.

The NFC South became the second division in five years to have a champion with a losing record, as the 2014 Carolina Panthers won the division with a 7–8–1 record (The 2010 Seattle Seahawks won the NFC West with a 7–9 record). Additionally, Carolina became the first team to repeat as NFC South champions since the creation of the division. The Panthers were the first team to win the NFC South three consecutive times, from 2013 to 2015; while the Saints were the first team to win the division four consecutive times from 2017 to 2020. On January 7, 2018, two NFC South teams (the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints) met in the NFL playoffs for the first time since the division's creation in 2002. Before then, they were the only division left in the NFL that had never had teams face off against each other in the postseason. In 2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers tied with the New Orleans Saints for the most division titles, with seven. They also tied with the Saints for most consecutive division titles, with four, and broke the division record of most consecutive playoff appearances, with five.

Results

[edit]

Team Success

[edit]
Team success
Team Years in
division		 Playoff
berths		 Division
championships		 NFC Championship Game
appearances		 Super Bowl
appearances		 Super Bowl
wins		 Refs
2002–present 8 7 2 2 2 [2]
8 4 3 1 0 [3]
8 6 3 2 0 [4]
9 7 3 1 1 [5]

Season-by-season

[edit]
Table legend
Super Bowl champions ‡ Conference champions * Division champions ^ Wild card berth #
NFC North yearly standings and team records
Season Team (record) Notes Refs
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
NFC South Division
2002 Tampa Bay (12–4) ‡ Atlanta (9–6–1) # New Orleans (9–7) Carolina (7–9) The NFL realigned to create four divisions in both conferences with four teams in each division, with the NFC South being created. The Buccaneers moved from the NFC Central. The Falcons, Saints and Panthers all moved from the NFC West.[6] [7]
2003 Carolina (11–5) * New Orleans (8–8) Tampa Bay (7–9) Atlanta (5–11) [8]
2004 Atlanta (11–5) ^ New Orleans (8–8) Carolina (7–9) Tampa Bay (5–11) [9]
2005 Tampa Bay (11–5) ^ Carolina (11–5) # Atlanta (8–8) New Orleans (3–13) [10]
2006 New Orleans (10–6) ^ Carolina (8–8) Atlanta (7–9) Tampa Bay (4–12) [11]
2007 Tampa Bay (9–7) ^ Carolina (7–9) New Orleans (7–9) Atlanta (4–12) [12]
2008 Carolina (12–4) ^ Atlanta (11–5) # Tampa Bay (9–7) New Orleans (8–8) [13]
2009 New Orleans (13–3) ‡ Atlanta (9–7) Carolina (8–8) Tampa Bay (3–13) [14]
2010 Atlanta (13–3) ^ New Orleans (11–5) # Tampa Bay (10–6) Carolina (2–14) [15]
2011 New Orleans (13–3) ^ Atlanta (10–6) # Carolina (6–10) Tampa Bay (4–12) [16]
2012 Atlanta (13–3) ^ Carolina (7–9) New Orleans (7–9) Tampa Bay (7–9) [17]
2013 Carolina (12–4) ^ New Orleans (11–5) # Atlanta (4–12) Tampa Bay (4–12) [18]
2014 Carolina (7–8–1) ^ New Orleans (7–9) Atlanta (6–10) Tampa Bay (2–14) [19]
2015 Carolina (15–1) * Atlanta (8–8) New Orleans (7–9) Tampa Bay (6–10) [20]
2016 Atlanta (11–5) * Tampa Bay (9–7) New Orleans (7–9) Carolina (6–10) [21]
2017 New Orleans (11–5) ^ Carolina (11–5) # Atlanta (10–6) # Tampa Bay (5–11) [22]
2018 New Orleans (13–3) ^ Atlanta (7–9) Carolina (7–9) Tampa Bay (5–11) [23]
2019 New Orleans (13–3) ^ Atlanta (7–9) Tampa Bay (7–9) Carolina (5–11) [24]
2020 New Orleans (12–4) ^ Tampa Bay (11–5) ‡ Carolina (5–11) Atlanta (4–12) [25]
2021 Tampa Bay (13–4) ^ New Orleans (9–8) Atlanta (7–10) Carolina (5–12) The NFL expanded its season from 16 to 17 games a year.[26] [27]
2022 Tampa Bay (8–9) ^ Carolina (7–10) New Orleans (7–10) Atlanta (7–10) [28]
2023 Tampa Bay (9–8) ^ New Orleans (9–8) Atlanta (7–10) Carolina (2–15) [29]
2024 Tampa Bay (10–7) ^ Atlanta (8–9) Carolina (5–12) New Orleans (5–12) [30]
2025 Carolina (8–9) ^ Tampa Bay (8–9) Atlanta (8–9) New Orleans (6–11) [31]
2026 Tampa Bay (0–0) Atlanta (0–0) Carolina (0–0) New Orleans (0–0) [32]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Hack, Damon (December 10, 2002). "N.F.L. Shuffle Gives Rise To South". The New York Times. New York Times Company. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Tampa Bay Buccaneers Playoff History". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Atlanta Falcons Playoff History". Pro Football Reference.
  4. ↑ "Carolina Panthers Playoff History". Pro Football Reference.
  5. ↑ "New Orleans Saints Playoff History". Pro Football Reference.
  6. ↑ "New alignment takes effect in 2002". ESPN.com. Associated Press. May 22, 2001. Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  7. ↑ "2002 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2009. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  8. ↑ "2003 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  9. ↑ "2004 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  10. ↑ "2005 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  11. ↑ "2006 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  12. ↑ "2007 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  13. ↑ "2008 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  14. ↑ "2009 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  15. ↑ "2010 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  16. ↑ "2011 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  17. ↑ "2012 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  18. ↑ "2013 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  19. ↑ "2014 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  20. ↑ "2015 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  21. ↑ "2016 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 4, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  22. ↑ "2017 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 25, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  23. ↑ "2018 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  24. ↑ "2019 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  25. ↑ "2020 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  26. ↑ Dajani, Jordan (January 12, 2022). "NFL's first 17-game regular season reviewed: Records that fell, what worked, what didn't work and more". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  27. ↑ "2021 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  28. ↑ "2022 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  29. ↑ "2023 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  30. ↑ "2024 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2026. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  31. ↑ "2025 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2026. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  32. ↑ "2026 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
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