State of the NFC West after a wild 2025 regular season

It was a wild 2025 regular season, as many expected the Los Angeles Rams or a healthy San Francisco 49ers to win the NFC West Divisional title. Some experts made the bold statement that the Arizona Cardinals found some rhythm to win the divisional title. Only a select few, like Good Morning Football’s Kyle Brandt, were smart enough to pick the Seattle Seahawks would win the NFC West.

Throughout the season, the Cardinals suffered internally to another disastrous season. The Rams, who are still many experts’ pick for a Super Bowl title, crumbled in the second half of the season. The season came down to a healthy and dangerous Seahawks and a revitalized 49ers in Santa Clara in Week 18.

The Seahawks got the 13-3 win on the road to win their 10th NFC West Divisional title and their first since 2020. It’s the first divisional title under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald. The Seahawks have been consistent since rejoining the division in 2002.

Seattle (14-3) has the No. 1 seed in the NFC and has a great shot of winning the Super Bowl. Both the Rams (12-5) and the 49ers (12-5) are threats for the Wild Card round. The Cardinals (3-14), meanwhile, fired Johnathan Gannon after three seasons on Monday.

After a hopeful 2024 when the Cardinals finished with an overall record of 8-9, the team fell apart under the pressure, and Gannon caused several controversies. It also appears that the relationship between the team and former first overall pick in quarterback Kyler Murray is heading to a divorce.

The biggest problem is that the Cardinals looked better with Jacoby Brissett at times, and Murray doesn’t have a potential out until 2028 with no dead cap. This means they either let him play for two seasons if they hope to trade him or cut him loose for a $54 million dead cap.

The Cardinals are nowhere near the contending team they were less than a decade ago under head coach Bruce Arians, quarterback Carson Palmer, and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Since Arians was fired after the 2017 season, the Cardinals have accumulated an overall record of 46-86. They have finished last in the NFC West five times in the last eight seasons.

It doesn’t help that the Cardinals have accumulated a winning record of .419 since 1920, making them one of the oldest teams in the league. They’ve made the playoffs 12 times, only more than the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, and the Houston Texans, who are still young franchises and made the playoffs this season.

The Cardinals are expected to go through another serious franchise rebuilding process with tough decisions to be made. The rest of the three NFC West teams will make a serious run at a Super Bowl, with the Seahawks being the team to beat.

Seattle and San Francisco have many players who are young and capable of making multiple Super Bowls. The Rams, however, have questions for the future around quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Davante Adams getting older. Their Super Bowl window is open, but might not be for long.

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