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Our 2025 NFL season predictions: Division winners and Super Bowl champs named

The regular season is almost here, with the first contest between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys just over 24 hours away. With the offseason concluding, the newsletter team at A to Z Sports got together and provided their predictions heading into the 2025 NFL season. There were some new faces as division winners, and some history was made during our predictions. The NFL is stacked from top to bottom with teams vying to bring home the Lombardi Trophy, and we can’t wait to see how it all unfolds on the football field.

Both the AFC and NFC are loaded with talent across the board. In the AFC, with quarterbacks like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and C.J. Stroud, and a reloaded NFC featuring names like Jalen Hurts, Jordan Love, Brock Purdy, and even non-quarterbacks like Micah Parsons, there’s no shortage of star power on either side of the league. Add in rising stars like Bo Nix and Cam Ward, who are stepping into bigger roles, and we’re in for a real treat in 2025.

2024 featured a handful of surprises when it came to the playoffs, with Burrow and the Bengals finding themselves on the outside looking in, while newcomer Jayden Daniels took the league by storm and nearly reached the Super Bowl. It wouldn’t be surprising to see another new wave of contenders emerge, or re-emerge, throughout the season.

From surprise contenders to familiar powerhouses, here’s how we see the season playing out.

	Nick Roesch	Wes Roesch	Adam Zientek
AFC East	Bills	Bills	Bills
AFC North	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens
AFC South	Texans	Texans	Texans
AFC West	Chiefs	Chiefs	Broncos
AFC Wild Cards	Bengals, Broncos, Patriots	Broncos, Patriots, Steelers	Bengals, Chiefs, Patriots
NFC East	Eagles	Commanders	Eagles
NFC North	Lions	Packers	Lions
NFC South	Bucs	Bucs	Bucs
NFC West	Rams	Seahawks	Rams
NFC Wild Cards	Commanders, Falcons, Packers	Eagles, Lions, Rams	Commanders, Packers, Seahawks
AFC Championship Game	Chiefs beat Ravens	Chiefs beat Ravens	Bills beat Ravens
NFC Championship Game	Lions beat Eagles	Packers beat Lions	Lions beat Bucs
Super Bowl LX	Chiefs beat Lions	Chiefs beat Packers	Bills beat Lions

Nick’s prediction for 2025 explained:

I believe this would be a first in NFL history — the same eight teams winning their respective divisions two years in a row. On the AFC side of things, I was very tempted to pick the young Patriots to dethrone the Bills, but I believe they’re a year away. I think the Bengals will get back to their winning ways in 2025, but they will likely be a wild-card team because the Ravens are too loaded. The Texans are still the only good team in the AFC South, and the Chiefs are still the Chiefs.

The NFC North is still loaded, and it was very tough leaving the Minnesota Vikings out of the postseason, but I think the upstart Falcons edge them out for a wild-card spot. The Bucs and Rams will win relatively easy divisions, and although I really like the Commanders, the Eagles are still a very complete team. I believe the Lions will be on a mission after their Cinderella 2024 season came to an abrupt halt. However, they will come up short against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LX, who are still in the midst of their dynasty run, whether people like it or not.

Wes’ prediction for 2025 explained:

When predicting division winners, I try to keep in mind that it’s never the eight that you think will win, and it’s never the same eight from last season. With that, I do believe the AFC is relatively set. The Buffalo Bills could have some competition from the New England Patriots, who have an improved squad all around and a new head coach, Mike Vrabel to lead. The Kansas City Chiefs have a tough schedule and two very good teams in the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers breathing down their necks. And the Baltimore Ravens will be pushed by the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. Even with that stiff competition, I still believe the Bills, Chiefs and Ravens are the best teams in the AFC — the conference will be won by one of those three.

The NFC is a bit more unpredictable. I wouldn’t be so quick to auto-crown the Philadelphia Eagles, who have some questionable depth issues on defense and a booming Washington Commanders squad to challenge them. The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions are neck and neck in terms of odds, but I give the edge to the Packers thanks to their new edge Micah Parsons. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers should repeat barring injury, but I wouldn’t rule out the Atlanta Falcons if Michael Penix Jr. takes a step forward. The biggest surprise is the Seattle Seahawks — there’s usually a major underdog that wins its division each year, and I think they’re best set up to do so. The San Francisco 49ers are a shell of their former Super Bowl squad, while the Los Angeles Rams are looking shaky with injury questions surrounding quarterback Matthew Stafford. Meanwhile, Seattle has a good defense, a strong running game, and a solid QB in Sam Darnold.

What better way to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Super Bowl than with a rematch of Super Bowl I? The Chiefs and Packers head to the big game, and the Chiefs knock off the Packers in a close matchup that could go either way.

Adam’s prediction for 2025 explained:

Gotta shake things up every once and a while, and that’s exactly what happened in the AFC. Josh Allen and the Bills took care of business to bring home their sixth-straight AFC East crown, with the Patriots falling just behind them. Drake Maye looks to be the real deal as he takes that important next step and helps lead his team to the playoffs. Ravens are way too stacked not to put them as a league-winner, and the Texans take care of business. My biggest surprise here was that the Broncos dethroned the Chiefs for the top of the AFC West, giving Broncos Country a huge reason to celebrate with the emergence of Bo Nix in the offense. Of course, Kansas City still finds its way into the playoffs, and Joe Burrow and the Bengals make their return to the postseason in my prediction.

The NFC North might be the best in all of football, but we have the Lions squeaking out the top spot in their conference. The Bucs handily win one of the weaker divisions across the league, and the Eagles with Jalen Hurts and the Rams with the veteran Matthew Stafford easily make it into the postseason by winning their conferences. Rounding out the unit are the Commanders, Seahawks, and Packers, who make it to the postseason.

It’s a party in Buffalo as the Bills take care of the Ravens in the AFC Championship Game to mark Allen’s first Super Bowl as a Bill, and the Lions take down the Bucs for an epic showdown between two franchises that haven’t won the big game. Get your tables ready, Bills Mafia, because Buffalo beats the Lions to bring the Lombardi Trophy to Orchard Park.

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