AFC East
Conference | American Football Conference |
---|---|
League | National Football League |
Sport | American football |
Founded | 1960 (as the American Football League Eastern Division) |
No. of teams | 4 |
Most recent champion(s) | Buffalo Bills (14th title) |
Most titles | New England Patriots (22 titles) |
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). There are currently four teams that reside in the division: the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots, and the New York Jets. All four members of the AFC East were previously members of the Eastern Division of the American Football League (AFL).
Both
The current champions of the AFC East are the Bills, who won 4 consecutive division titles in
The AFC East teams have won 26 AFL or AFC championships: including 11 by the Patriots, 6 by the Bills, and 5 by the Dolphins. The now-Titans won 2, followed by 1 each by the Jets and Colts.
AFL Eastern Division
The American Football League Eastern Division was formed during the inaugural season of the American Football League in 1960, as a counterpart to the AFL Western Division. The divisional alignment consisted of the Buffalo Bills, Boston Patriots, New York Titans and Houston Oilers. The Miami Dolphins entered the AFL in 1966 as part of its Eastern division.[3]
The division was absorbed nearly intact with the
Although
None of the AFC East teams currently play within the central city of their metropolitan area (in New England's case, they also reflect the region they are based in):
- The Bills play in Orchard Park, New York; they played in the city of Buffalofrom 1960 to 1972.
- The Jets play in from 1964 to 1983).
- The Dolphins play in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami (Miami Gardens was separated from the city itself and incorporated in 2003). The Dolphins also played in the Miami neighborhood of Little Havana from 1966 to 1986 when they played at the Orange Bowl.
- The Patriots play in Foxborough, Massachusetts (they played in Boston, the largest city in New England, until 1970 and adopted their current name in 1971 when they moved into what eventually became known as Foxboro Stadium).
Almost analogously, three out of the four NFC East teams do not actually play within the city of their naming (only the Philadelphia Eagles do so).
All of the teams are or were coached by a first or second generation member of the Bill Parcells coaching tree: the Patriots have Bill Belichick; the Dolphins had Tony Sparano; the Jets had Eric Mangini (who served as an assistant with both Belichick and Parcells); and the Bills had Dick Jauron (fired on November 17, 2009), who served as an assistant with former Parcells assistant Tom Coughlin. The Jets were coached by Todd Bowles (2015–2018) and the Bills were coached by Rex Ryan for 31 games (the entire 2015–16 season, and he was fired before the last game of the 2016–17 season and replaced with interim Head Coach Anthony Lynn). Parcells himself coached the Patriots (1993–96) and the Jets (1997–99) and was Vice President of Football Operations for the Dolphins until the summer of 2010.[6]
ESPN's Chris Berman often calls this division the "AFC Adams" due to its geographical similarity to the old Adams Division of the NHL, now succeeded by the Atlantic Division.
Along with the AFC (formerly AFL) West, the AFC East is the oldest NFL division in terms of creation date (1960).
Division lineups
Place cursor over year for division champion or Super Bowl team.
AFL Eastern Division | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1900s | |||||||||
60 | 61 | 62 | 63
|
64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 |
Buffalo Bills | |||||||||
Boston Patriots
| |||||||||
New York Titans
|
New York Jets [C] | ||||||||
Houston Oilers [B] | |||||||||
Miami Dolphins [D] |
AFC East Division | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1900s | 2000s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 |
Buffalo Bills | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Boston Patriots | New England Patriots [A] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New York Jets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Baltimore Colts [E] | Indianapolis Colts [F] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Miami Dolphins |
AFC East Division | |||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000s | |||||||||||||||||||||||
02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
New England Patriots | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Buffalo Bills | |||||||||||||||||||||||
New York Jets | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Miami Dolphins | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Team not in division Division Won AFL Championship Division Won AFC Championship Division Won Super Bowl |
- A Boston Patriots renamed to New England Patriots.
- B Houston Oilers move to newly created AFC Central division (1970 season) and later are renamed the Tennessee Oilers (1997 season), then Tennessee Titans (1999 season). Moved to AFC South in 2002.
- C New York Titans renamed to New York Jets (1963 season)
- D Miami Dolphins enfranchised (1966 season)
- E Baltimore Colts merge from NFL's Coastal Division (1970 season)
- F Baltimore Colts relocate to Indianapolis subsequently renamed Indianapolis Colts (1984 season). Moved to AFC South in 2002.
Division champions
- + – A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games. Thus, the league used a special 16-team playoff tournament just for this year. Division standings were ignored, Miami had the best record of the division teams.
- ++ – Due to the Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals being declared a no-contest (and later cancelled), the Buffalo Bills officially played 16 games in the 2022 season.
Wild Card qualifiers
- + – A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games. Thus, the league used a special 16-team playoff tournament just for this year. Division standings were ignored, Miami had the best record of the division teams.
Total playoff berths while in the AFL/AFC East
(AFC East records 1960–2021 seasons)
Reflects Colts & Oilers results only while in the East Division.
In the sortable table below, teams can be ordered by name, number of division wins, playoff berths, or titles.
Team | Division Titles |
Playoff Berths |
AFL Titles |
AFC Championships |
Super Bowl Championships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New England Patriots | 22 | 28 | 0 | 11 | 6 |
Buffalo Bills | 14 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
Miami Dolphins | 13 | 24 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
New York Jets | 4 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Indianapolis Colts1* | 6 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Houston Oilers2* | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
AFC East | Division Titles |
Playoff Berths |
AFL Titles |
AFC Championships |
Super Bowl Championships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Totals- 1960–2021 | 61 | 98 | 5 | 21 | 10 |
1 Realigned from
2 Realigned into the AFC Central in 1970 merger, and into the AFC South in 2002. Known as Tennessee Oilers from 1997 to 1998, and Tennessee Titans since 1999.
Season results
(#) | Denotes team that won the Super Bowl |
(#) | Denotes team that won the AFC Championship
|
(#) | Denotes team that won the AFL Championship |
(#) | Denotes team that qualified for the NFL Playoffs or AFL Playoffs
|
Season | Team (record) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | |
AFL Eastern | |||||
| |||||
1960 | Houston (10–4) | N.Y. Titans (7–7) | Buffalo (5–8–1) | Boston (5–9) | |
1961 | Houston (10–3–1) | Boston (9–4–1) | N.Y. Titans (7–7) | Buffalo (6–8) | |
1962 | Houston (11–3) | Boston (9–4–1) | Buffalo (7–6–1) | N.Y. Titans (5–9) | |
| |||||
1963 | Boston (7–6–1) | Buffalo (7–6–1) | Houston (6–8) | N.Y. Jets (5–8–1) | |
1964 | Buffalo (12–2) | Boston (10–3–1) | N.Y. Jets (5–8–1) | Houston (4–10) | |
1965 | Buffalo (10–3–1) | N.Y. Jets (5–8–1) | Boston (4–8–2) | Houston (4–10) | |
| |||||
1966 | Buffalo (9–4–1) | Boston (8–4–2) | N.Y. Jets (6–6–2) | Houston (3–11) | Miami (3–11) |
1967 | Houston (9–4–1) | N.Y. Jets (8–5–1) | Buffalo (4–10) | Miami (4–10) | Boston (3–10–1) |
1968 | N.Y. Jets (11–3) | Houston (7–7) | Miami (5–8–1) | Boston (4–10) | Buffalo (1–12–1) |
1969 | N.Y. Jets (10–4) | Houston (6–6–2) | Boston (4–10) | Buffalo (4–10) | Miami (3–10–1) |
AFC East | |||||
| |||||
1970 | Baltimore (11–2–1) | Miami (10–4) | N.Y. Jets (4–10) | Buffalo (3–10–1) | Boston (2–12) |
| |||||
1971 | Miami (10–3–1) | Baltimore (10–4) | New England (6–8) | N.Y. Jets (6–8) | Buffalo (1–13) |
1972 | Miami (14–0) | N.Y. Jets (7–7) | Baltimore (5–9) | Buffalo (4–9–1) | New England (3–11) |
1973 | Miami (12–2) | Buffalo (9–5) | New England (5–9) | N.Y. Jets (4–10) | Baltimore (4–10) |
1974 | Miami (11–3) | Buffalo (9–5) | New England (7–7) | N.Y. Jets (7–7) | Baltimore (2–12) |
1975 | (3) Baltimore (10–4) | Miami (10–4) | Buffalo (8–6) | N.Y. Jets (3–11) | New England (3–11) |
1976 | (2) Baltimore (11–3) | (4) New England (11–3) | Miami (6–8) | N.Y. Jets (3–11) | Buffalo (2–12) |
1977 | (2) Baltimore (10–4) | Miami (10–4) | New England (9–5) | Buffalo (3–11) | N.Y. Jets (3–11) |
1978 | (2) New England (11–5) | (4) Miami (11–5) | N.Y. Jets (8–8) | Buffalo (5–11) | Baltimore (5–11) |
1979 | (3) Miami (10–6) | New England (9–7) | N.Y. Jets (8–8) | Buffalo (7–9) | Baltimore (5–11) |
1980 | (3) Buffalo (11–5) | New England (10–6) | Miami (8–8) | Baltimore (7–9) | N.Y. Jets (4–12) |
1981 | (2) Miami (11–4–1) | (4) N.Y. Jets (10–5–1) | (5) Buffalo (10–6) | Baltimore (2–14) | New England (2–14) |
1982^ | (2) Miami (7–2) | (6) N.Y. Jets (6–3) | (7) New England (5–4) | Buffalo (4–5) | Baltimore (0–8–1) |
1983 | (2) Miami (12–4) | New England (8–8) | Buffalo (8–8) | Baltimore (7–9) | N.Y. Jets (7–9) |
| |||||
1984 | (1) Miami (14–2) | New England (9–7) | N.Y. Jets (7–9) | Indianapolis (4–12) | Buffalo (2–14) |
1985 | (2) Miami (12–4) | (4) N.Y. Jets (11–5) | (5) New England (11–5) | Indianapolis (5–11) | Buffalo (2–14) |
1986 | (3) New England (11–5) | (4) N.Y. Jets (10–6) | Miami (8–8) | Buffalo (4–12) | Indianapolis (3–13) |
1987 | (3) Indianapolis (9–6) | New England (8–7) | Miami (8–7) | Buffalo (7–8) | N.Y. Jets (6–9) |
1988 | (2) Buffalo (12–4) | Indianapolis (9–7) | New England (9–7) | N.Y. Jets (8–7–1) | Miami (6–10) |
1989 | (3) Buffalo (9–7) | Indianapolis (8–8) | Miami (8–8) | New England (5–11) | N.Y. Jets (4–12) |
1990 | (1) Buffalo (13–3) | (4) Miami (12–4) | Indianapolis (7–9) | N.Y. Jets (6–10) | New England (1–15) |
1991 | (1) Buffalo (13–3) | (6) N.Y. Jets (8–8) | Miami (8–8) | New England (6–10) | Indianapolis (1–15) |
1992 | (2) Miami (11–5) | (4) Buffalo (11–5) | Indianapolis (9–7) | N.Y. Jets (4–12) | New England (2–14) |
1993 | (1) Buffalo (12–4) | Miami (9–7) | N.Y. Jets (8–8) | New England (5–11) | Indianapolis (4–12) |
1994 | (3) Miami (10–6) | (5) New England (10–6) | Indianapolis (8–8) | Buffalo (7–9) | N.Y. Jets (6–10) |
1995 | (3) Buffalo (10–6) | (5) Indianapolis (9–7) | (6) Miami (9–7) | New England (6–10) | N.Y. Jets (3–13) |
1996 | (2) New England (11–5) | (4) Buffalo (10–6) | (6) Indianapolis (9–7) | Miami (8–8) | N.Y. Jets (1–15) |
1997 | (3) New England (10–6) | (6) Miami (9–7) | N.Y. Jets (9–7) | Buffalo (6–10) | Indianapolis (3–13) |
1998 | (2) N.Y. Jets (12–4) | (4) Miami (10–6) | (5) Buffalo (10–6) | (6) New England (9–7) | Indianapolis (3–13) |
1999 | (2) Indianapolis (13–3) | (5) Buffalo (11–5) | (6) Miami (9–7) | N.Y. Jets (8–8) | New England (8–8) |
2000 | (3) Miami (11–5) | (6) Indianapolis (10–6) | N.Y. Jets (9–7) | Buffalo (8–8) | New England (5–11) |
2001 | (2) New England (11–5) | (4) Miami (11–5) | (6) N.Y. Jets (10–6) | Indianapolis (6–10) | Buffalo (3–13) |
| |||||
2002 | (4) N.Y. Jets (9–7) | New England (9–7) | Miami (9–7) | Buffalo (8–8) | |
2003 | (1) New England (14–2) | Miami (10–6) | Buffalo (6–10) | N.Y. Jets (6–10) | |
2004 | (2) New England (14–2) | (5) N.Y. Jets (10–6) | Buffalo (9–7) | Miami (4–12) | |
2005 | (4) New England (10–6) | Miami (9–7) | Buffalo (5–11) | N.Y. Jets (4–12) | |
2006 | (4) New England (12–4) | (5) N.Y. Jets (10–6) | Buffalo (7–9) | Miami (6–10) | |
2007 | (1) New England (16–0) | Buffalo (7–9) | N.Y. Jets (4–12) | Miami (1–15) | |
2008 | (3) Miami (11–5) | New England (11–5) | N.Y. Jets (9–7) | Buffalo (7–9) | |
2009 | (3) New England (10–6) | (5) N.Y. Jets (9–7) | Miami (7–9) | Buffalo (6–10) | |
2010 | (1) New England (14–2) | (6) N.Y. Jets (11–5) | Miami (7–9) | Buffalo (4–12) | |
2011 | (1) New England (13–3) | N.Y. Jets (8–8) | Miami (6–10) | Buffalo (6–10) | |
2012 | (2) New England (12–4) | Miami (7–9) | N.Y. Jets (6–10) | Buffalo (6–10) | |
2013 | (2) New England (12–4) | N.Y. Jets (8–8) | Miami (8–8) | Buffalo (6–10) | |
2014 | (1) New England (12–4) | Buffalo (9–7) | Miami (8–8) | N.Y. Jets (4–12) | |
2015 | (2) New England (12–4) | N.Y. Jets (10–6) | Buffalo (8–8) | Miami (6–10) | |
2016 | (1) New England (14–2) | (6) Miami (10–6) | Buffalo (7–9) | N.Y. Jets (5–11) | |
2017 | (1) New England (13–3) | (6) Buffalo (9–7) | Miami (6–10) | N.Y. Jets (5–11) | |
2018 | (2) New England (11–5) | Miami (7–9) | Buffalo (6–10) | N.Y. Jets (4–12) | |
2019 | (3) New England (12–4) | (5) Buffalo (10–6) | N.Y. Jets (7–9) | Miami (5–11) | |
2020 | (2) Buffalo (13–3) | Miami (10–6) | New England (7–9) | N.Y. Jets (2–14) | |
2021 | (3) Buffalo (11–6) | (6) New England (10–7) | Miami (9–8) | N.Y. Jets (4–13) | |
2022 | (2) Buffalo (13–3) | (7) Miami (9–8) | New England (8–9) | N.Y. Jets (7–10) | |
2023 | (2) Buffalo (11–6) | (6) Miami (11–6) | N.Y. Jets (7–10) | New England (4–13) |
See also
- Bills–Dolphins rivalry
- Bills–Jets rivalry
- Bills–Patriots rivalry
- Colts–Patriots rivalry
- Dolphins–Jets rivalry
- Dolphins–Patriots rivalry
- Jets–Patriots rivalry
AFC East Interdivisional and Interconference Rivals
- Bills-Chiefs rivalry
- Bills-Titans rivalry
- Broncos-Patriots rivalry
- Dolphins-Raiders rivalry
- Patriots-Ravens rivalry
- Patriots-Steelers rivalry
- Buccaneers-Dolphins rivalry
- Giants-Jets rivalry
- Giants-Patriots rivalry
Notes
- ^ The other two perfect regular seasons in NFL history were both by the Chicago Bears – currently of the NFC North – in 1934 and 1942 – although in both seasons the Bears lost their sole playoff game.
References
- ^ "Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans Team Encyclopedia - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts Team Encyclopedia - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ISBN 9780786473519– via Google Books.
- ^ "NFL and AFL announce merger - Jun 08, 1966 - HISTORY.com".
- ^ "Clayton: AFC South could be worst division ever". October 26, 2015.
- ^ "Bill Parcells thinks Miami Dolphins could make a run at the AFC East title". July 17, 2013.