Seahawks won most competitive division in NFL history in 2025

This season's NFC West is one of four divisions to ever have three teams reach the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) celebrates with fans after a win against the Los Angeles Rams in overtime at Lumen Field. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The battle for the 2025 NFC West title was arguably the most heated of any division in NFL history. Heading toward the second week of the playoffs, the division's rivals still can't get away from one another.

According to ESPN Insights, the 2025 NFC West joined the 2022 NFC East, 1997 Central and 1992 NFC East as the only divisions that had three teams reach the Divisional Round of the playoffs since 1970.

This year's NFC West is the only one of the four to have all three of those teams win 10 or more games in the regular season.

Here's a breakdown of each playoff-bound team that reached the Divisional round in the four historic divisions and how they finished in the postseason.

2025 NFC West

- Seattle Seahawks, 14-3 (vs. San Francisco in Divisional)

- Los Angeles Rams, 12-5 (vs. Chicago in Divisional)

- San Francisco 49ers, 12-5 (vs. Seattle in Divisional)

2022 NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) throws a pass against Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark (55) during the first quarter in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Feb. 12, 2023. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

- Philadelphia Eagles, 14-3 (lost to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVII, 38-35)

- Dallas Cowboys, 12-5 (lost to San Francisco in Divisional, 19-12)

- New York Giants, 9-7-1 (lost to Philadelphia in Divisional, 38-7)

1997 NFC Central

January 25, 1998; San Diego, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Reggie White leaves the field after the Green Bay Packers lost to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII Sunday, January 25, 1998. | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK

- Green Bay Packers, 13-3 (lost to Denver in Super Bowl XXXII, 31-24)

- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 10-6 (lost to Green Bay in Divisional, 21-7)

- Minnesota Vikings, 9-7 (lost to San Francisco in Divisional, 38-22)

1992 NFC East

Jan 31, 1993; Pasadena, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Dallas Cowboys running back (22) EMMITT SMITH in action against the Buffalo Bills during Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl. Smith ran for 108 yards and 1 touchdown. The Cowboys defeated the Bills 52-17. | USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC

- Dallas Cowboys, 13-3 (won Super Bowl XXVII vs. Buffalo, 52-17)

- Philadelphia Eagles, 11-5 (lost to Dallas in Divisional, 34-10)

- Washington Redskins, 9-7 (lost to San Francisco in Divisional, 20-13)

In addition to the only division to have all three teams win 10 or more games, the 2025 NFC West has a chance to be especially unique.

Of the four examples, intra-division opponents never went on to play each other in the NFC Championship. This year's NFC West could become the first division since 1970 to have three teams in the Divisional round and have two in the NFC Championship.

The Seahawks won the NFC West, but none of that matters if they don't beat the 49ers a second time in the Divisional Round and beat whichever team they meet in the NFC Championship.

It just keeps getting crazier for this division. In any other season, the Seahawks, Rams or 49ers likely would have had far easier paths to the NFC title game. Instead, it's been a battle every week since Week 16 of the regular season to secure the easiest route.

Seattle got the bye week, extra rest and the No. 1 seed. Now they have to show they are still the best team in the conference after enduring one of the wildest gauntlets in NFL history.

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