In the wake of Sunday’s NFC and AFC Championship games, there is just one remaining game on the calendar for the 2024-25 NFL season. Though that Big Game looms large over the NFL landscape, it is nearly time to turn the page to 2025.
Ahead of that page turn, let’s take a look at the league as a whole and highlight the 10 best NFL teams in 2025.
The 10 Best NFL Teams In 2025
10 – Houston Texans
The Houston Texans again won the AFC South in 2024, taking the division crown at 10-7. They did, however, back into that title and the playoffs, with injuries severely derailing their offense.
Houston will expect an offensive resurgence after firing woeful offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, but finding an extra piece around CJ Stroud and Nico Collins will be just as important, with Tank Dell likely to miss all of 2025. With a pathetic division making up six of 17 games, a young star at QB, and a defense that routinely outplays its talent level, the Texans are looking up.
9 – Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers’ first season under Jim Harbaugh was a resounding success, culminating in an 11-6 record and a playoff appearance. Another season under Harbaugh will see considerable growth, such is the enigmatic coach’s track record.
Added talent to the defense and one more weapon for Justin Herbert could finally see the rocket-armed quarterback reach his potential.
8 – San Francisco 49ers
The 6-11 San Francisco 49ers were forgotten in the 2024 picture but should be expected to storm back into the frame in 2025. Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, and multiple other key starters will return from injury, and, as Kyle Shanahan has proven repeatedly, the 49ers are a contender when they are healthy.
The return of Robert Salah to lead the defense, too, is a huge boost to San Francisco’s 2025 outlook.
7 – Cincinnati Bengals
By season’s end, the Cincinnati Bengals had an argument as one of the league’s best teams and one capable of knocking off the other AFC powers. Yet, multiple self-inflicted losses early in the season cost them, as they were on the outside looking in at 9-8.
Despite the Bengals’ woes, Joe Burrow was a bona fide MVP candidate, and as he has said, their Super Bowl window is his entire career. Expect a major Cincinnati bounce back in 2025.
6 – Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills suffered another heartbreak at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs, but as Josh Allen has shown, he’ll keep getting up off the mat. With offensive coordinator Joe Brady not getting a head coach job, Allen and the offense will continue to operate at an elite level.
For Buffalo, the goal is to win home-field advantage in 2025 and force the Chiefs—or anyone else—to come to Western New York in the playoffs.
5 – Green Bay Packers
After a pleasantly surprising 2023 season, the Green Bay Packers regressed in 2024 and underwhelmed as injuries took their toll. However, with an extremely young core, the arrow remains pointed up in Green Bay.
With an 11-6 season behind them, the Packers should be expected to improve, if only because the NFC North will not repeat its record-breaking toughness in 2025.
4 – Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are headed to the Super Bowl, and in 2025, they’ll be right back in contention. Their entire offense is in line to return to Philly, and, crucially, so is OC Kellen Moore after the Dallas Cowboys opted to hire Brian Schottenheimer instead of waiting on Moore.
With a young defense and a veteran DC in Vic Fangio, the Eagles will get the luxury of running it back with a complete football team.
3 – Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions were, by a wide margin, the best team in the NFL in 2024 before injuries took their toll. Though the Lions will be able to return a large majority of their roster in 2025, there are two reasons for concern.
The first is the emotional letdown after such a taxing, high-and-low 2024 season, which could prove difficult to repeat. More concerning is the coaching turnover, with two new coordinators on the way after Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn got head coaching jobs elsewhere.
2 – Kansas City Chiefs
The chance at history looms for the Kansas City Chiefs, and, looking forward, they should again be able to cruise along in 2025. After an injury riddled 2024 season on offense, Patrick Mahomes should have a healthier, deeper cast of pass catchers to count on. The greatest concern would simply be fatigue after three straight seasons played into February.
1 – Baltimore Ravens
Despite a 12-5 season and an MVP-caliber performance from Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens failed to overcome their obstacles in 2024. Despite the latest playoff heartbreak, everything is promising for the Ravens.
Jackson and the offense will see a third season under OC Todd Monken after consecutive seasons of great play and consistent improvement. Improvement under second-year DC Zach Orr, after a very difficult first year, could see Baltimore launch toward the AFC’s top seed, too.
