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The NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks.

When the division was created after the AFL-NFL Merger in 1970, the division had the following four teams: Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, and San Francisco 49ers, basically being the old Coastal Division with a team substitution (the Saints replacing the Baltimore Colts). When the Seattle Seahawks began play in 1976, they spent their first year in this division before moving to the AFC West the following year. In 1995, the new Carolina Panthers team was put into the NFC West. And even though the Rams moved to St. Louis that same year, they remained in this division (despite the Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East being located further west), leaving just one team on the West Coast.

The 2002 re-alignment changed the entire look of the NFC West. The Falcons, Panthers, and Saints moved into the NFC South, while the Cardinals and Seahawks moved in. The Rams remained in the West, preserving the historical rivalry with the 49ers that has existed since 1950.

In 2010, the NFC West became the first division in NFL history to have a champion with a losing record, after the 2010 Seattle Seahawks won the division title with a record of 7-9.

Divisional lineups[]

1967-69

The Western Conference respectively divided into the Coastal and Central divisions. Atlanta moved in from the Eastern Conference. Also joining the Coastal Division are Baltimore, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

1970-75

New Orleans Saints moved in from Capitol Division (now National Football Conference's East division, also known as NFC East) The Coastal Division is renamed National Football Conference's West division (or NFC West for short), due to the AFL-NFL Merger. Baltimore moved to the American Football Conference's East division (or AFC East for short).

1976
  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • New Orleans Saints
  • San Francisco 49ers
  • Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks are enfranchised.

1977-94
  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • New Orleans Saints
  • San Francisco 49ers

Seattle moved to AFC West.

1995-2001

L.A. Rams moved to St. Louis. Carolina Panthers are enfranchised.

2002-2015

Atlanta, Carolina, and New Orleans moved to the NFC South division. Arizona moved in from NFC East, Seattle moved in from AFC West.

2016-present
  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • San Francisco 49ers
  • Seattle Seahawks

St. Louis Rams moved back to Los Angeles

Division champions[]

Season Team Record Playoff Results
1970 San Francisco 49ers 10-3-1 Lost NFC Championship Game
1971 San Francisco 49ers 9-5-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1972 San Francisco 49ers 8-5-1 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1973 Los Angeles Rams 12-2-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1974 Los Angeles Rams 10-4-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1975 Los Angeles Rams 12-2-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1976 Los Angeles Rams 10-3-1 Lost NFC Championship Game
1977 Los Angeles Rams 10-4-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1978 Los Angeles Rams 12-4-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1979 Los Angeles Rams 9-7-0 Lost Super Bowl XIV
1980 Atlanta Falcons 12-4-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1981 San Francisco 49ers 13-3-0 Won Super Bowl XVI
1982+ Atlanta Falcons 5-4-0 Lost NFC First Round
1983 San Francisco 49ers 10-6-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1984 San Francisco 49ers 15-1-0 Won Super Bowl XIX
1985 Los Angeles Rams 11-5-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1986 San Francisco 49ers 10-5-1 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1987 San Francisco 49ers 13-2-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1988 San Francisco 49ers 10-6-0 Won Super Bowl XXIII
1989 San Francisco 49ers 14-2-0 Won Super Bowl XXIV
1990 San Francisco 49ers 14-2-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1991 New Orleans Saints 11-5-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
1992 San Francisco 49ers 14-2-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1993 San Francisco 49ers 10-6-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1994 San Francisco 49ers 13-3-0 Won Super Bowl XXIX
1995 San Francisco 49ers 11-5-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1996 Carolina Panthers 12-4-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1997 San Francisco 49ers 13-3-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1998 Atlanta Falcons 14-2-0 Lost Super Bowl XXXIII
1999 St. Louis Rams 13-3-0 Won Super Bowl XXXIV
2000 New Orleans Saints 10-6-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2001 St. Louis Rams 14-2-0 Lost Super Bowl XXXVI
2002 San Francisco 49ers 10-6-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2003 St. Louis Rams 12-4-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2004 Seattle Seahawks 9-7-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2005 Seattle Seahawks 13-3-0 Lost Super Bowl XL
2006 Seattle Seahawks 9-7-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2007 Seattle Seahawks 10-6-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2008 Arizona Cardinals 9-7-0 Lost Super Bowl XLIII
2009 Arizona Cardinals 10-6-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2010 Seattle Seahawks 7-9-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
  • 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, Atlanta had the best record of the division teams.

Wild Card qualifiers[]

Season Team Record Playoff Results
1970 None -- --
1971 None -- --
1972 None -- --
1973 None -- --
1974 None -- --
1975 None -- --
1976 None -- --
1977 None -- --
1978 Atlanta Falcons 9-7-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1979 None -- --
1980 None -- --
1981 None -- --
1982+ None -- --
1983 Los Angeles Rams 9-7-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1984 Los Angeles Rams 10-6-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
1985 San Francisco 49ers 10-6-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
1986 Los Angeles Rams 10-6-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
1987 New Orleans Saints 12-3-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
1988 Los Angeles Rams 10-6-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
1989 Los Angeles Rams 11-5-0 Lost NFC Championship Game
1990 New Orleans Saints 8-8-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
1991 Atlanta Falcons 10-6-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1992 New Orleans Saints 12-4-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
1993 None -- --
1994 None -- --
1995 Atlanta Falcons 9-7-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
1996 San Francisco 49ers 12-4-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1997 None -- --
1998 San Francisco 49ers 12-4-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1999 None -- --
2000 St. Louis Rams 10-6-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2001 San Francisco 49ers 12-4-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2002 None -- --
2003 Seattle Seahawks 10-6-0 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2004 St. Louis Rams 8-8-0 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2005 None -- --
2006 None -- --
2007 None -- --
2008 None -- --
2009 None -- --
2010 None -- --
  • 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.

Total playoff berths[]

Team Division Championships Playoff Berths Super Bowl Record (wins-losses)
San Francisco 49ers 17 21 5-2
Los Angeles Rams 11 18 1-3
Seattle Seahawks 5 6 1-2
Arizona Cardinals 2 2 0-1
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