No entire division in NFL history has ever made the playoffs

GRCowboy

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The NFC East has had some great years, but the Cowboys, Eagles, Commanders and Giants have never all made the playoffs the same year. In fact, no division in NFL history has ever had all 4 teams make it into the playoffs in either conference.

Could we have a first this year? I think the Giants and Comanders need to split their games 1-1 in order for it to happen. Seattle needs to keep losing, too.
 
Doomsday101

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GRCowboy said:
The NFC East has had some great years, but the Cowboys, Eagles, Commanders and Giants have never all made the playoffs the same year. In fact, no division in NFL history has ever had all 4 teams make it into the playoffs in either conference.

Could we have a first this year? I think the Giants and Comanders need to split their games 1-1 in order for it to happen. Seattle needs to keep losing, too.
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The only thing that make all 4 unlikely to make it to post season is all these teams will be facing off against each other so someone loses
 
Bobhaze

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Not that surprising…we’re only in the second year of the 17 game season with 7 teams from each conference making the playoffs. Four division winners and 3 WCs. There’s only 9 teams in each conference that don’t make the playoffs, lol. And each division is only four teams. Back in the 70s-90s there were sometimes 6 teams in a division.

Plus, as Doomsday just said, 1 of the 4 isn’t going to make it because of the late part of the season matchups.
 
reddyuta

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there is a good chance all 4 make it,their only real competition is seattle and the have a brutal schedule.
 
mcmvp

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Bobhaze said:
Not that surprising…we’re only in the second year of the 17 game season with 7 teams from each conference making the playoffs. Four division winners and 3 WCs. There’s only 9 teams in each conference that don’t make the playoffs, lol. And each division is only four teams. Back in the 70s-90s there were sometimes 6 teams in a division.

Plus, as Doomsday just said, 1 of the 4 isn’t going to make because of the late part of the season matchups.
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Thank you… I would’ve thought this would’ve been painfully obvious. It was not even mathematically possible for all four teams, within one division, to make the playoffs until very recently.
 
Flamma

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GRCowboy said:
The NFC East has had some great years, but the Cowboys, Eagles, Commanders and Giants have never all made the playoffs the same year. In fact, no division in NFL history has ever had all 4 teams make it into the playoffs in either conference.

Could we have a first this year? I think the Giants and Comanders need to split their games 1-1 in order for it to happen. Seattle needs to keep losing, too.
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In 1994 and 1997 the NFC Central had 4 teams make the playoffs.

In 1998 the AFC East had 4 teams make the playoffs.

The thing is, it wasn't even possible until 1990 through 2001. Once the realignment in 2002, it couldn't happen again. Now that a 3rd wildcard was added, it can happen again. There's only been 14 chances it could happen. That includes this year.
 
Flamma

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TNCowboy said:
It's never happened because it wasn't possible until last year.
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The entire Division was possible from 1990 through 1994. But only in two divisions. And like you said, since last year. But 4 teams from any division was possible an extra 9 years, if you include this season.
 
Kingofholland

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GRCowboy said:
The NFC East has had some great years, but the Cowboys, Eagles, Commanders and Giants have never all made the playoffs the same year. In fact, no division in NFL history has ever had all 4 teams make it into the playoffs in either conference.

Could we have a first this year? I think the Giants and Comanders need to split their games 1-1 in order for it to happen. Seattle needs to keep losing, too.
Click to expand...

It's interesting but I'm sure it hasn't happened primarily because the NFL just expanded the playoffs in 2020. Before there were only 2 wild cards so 4 teams wouldn't have been possible.
 
Flamma

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I love these odd NFL facts.

More than half of the Super Bowls since the merger featured at least one team that didn't make the playoffs the previous year. The last 3 SBs had a team that wasn't in the playoffs the year prior.
 

silvernblu

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Flamma said:
The entire Division was possible from 1990 through 1994. But only in two divisions. And like you said, since last year. But 4 teams from any division was possible an extra 9 years, if you include this season.
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Wait what? Explain this.
 
irishline

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silvernblu said:
Wait what? Explain this.
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There were 3 wild card teams per conference those years. However only 2 of the 6 divisions had 4 teams in it.

Would have only been possible in the AFC central and NFL west. The other divisions had 5 teams in them and therefore it was impossible for them (NFC East and Central, AFC East and West).

The NFC central did have 4 teams in the playoffs in 1994, but the 5th team (Tampa didn't make it - clearly). So if it happened this year it would actually be the 2nd time four teams from the same division made the playoffs.
 
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HungryLion

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silvernblu said:
Wait what? Explain this.
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Before realignment in 2002. Each conference had 3 divisions.

All 3 division winners and 3 wildcards made the playoffs from each conference.

the thing is. Only two divisions had 4 teams. Other divisions had 5 teams.

Only after realignment and expansion when the Texans joined the league, then they went to 4, 4 team divisions per conference.


If you think back to those days. The NFC East used to have 5 teams. The Arizona Cardinals were in the division. And players like Jake the snake Plummer and Aeneas Williams were a pain in the butt.
 
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