NFC East

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NFC East
Conference National Football Conference
League National Football League
Sport American football
Founded 1967 (as the NFL Eastern Conference Capitol Division)
No. of teams 4
Most recent champion(s) Philadelphia Eagles (10 titles)
Most titles Dallas Cowboys (22 titles)

The NFC East is a division of the National Football League (NFL)'s National Football Conference (NFC). It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Washington Redskins.

The division was formed in 1967 as the National Football League Capitol Division, keeping with the theme of having all of the league's divisions starting with the letter "C." The division was so named because it was centered on the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C. In 1967 and 1969 the teams in the NFL Capitol Division were Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington and the expansion team New Orleans Saints, which had been replaced by the New York Giants for the 1968 season. As of 2018, the NFC East is the only division in the league in which all four current teams have at least one Super Bowl win.

History[edit | edit source]

Previously, although the St. Louis Rams were geographically farther east than Dallas before moving back to Los Angeles, the Cowboys remained in the NFC East despite being the only team located in the Central Time Zone and the Rams stayed in the NFC West because of long-standing rivalries: the Cowboys with all three other teams in the East, and the Rams with the San Francisco 49ers in the West.

The NFC East teams have combined to be the most successful division in the NFL since the 1970 NFL merger with 21 NFC Championship wins and 13 Super Bowl victories, the highest marks of any division in the NFL. The division features a number of prominent rivalries such as the Cowboys–Redskins rivalry and Eagles–Giants rivalry. Because the division's teams are in some of the United States' largest media markets (New York No. 1, Philadelphia, No. 4, Dallas-Fort Worth No. 5, and Washington No. 6), the NFC East receives a high amount of coverage from national sports media outlets.[1] In the early 1990s the division claimed four consecutive Super Bowl champions, all 4 against the Buffalo Bills, with the Giants and Redskins respectively winning back-to-back in Super Bowls XXV and XXVI; and the Cowboys winning twice after in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII. Those same three teams won seven out of ten Super Bowls, from 1986-87 to 1995-96 (the 49ers won the other three during that span).

The Philadelphia Eagles are the only NFC East team to actually play in the city of the team's naming, Philadelphia.[2] The other three teams play in suburbs of the major cities they are named after. The Dallas Cowboys play in Arlington, Texas.[3] The Washington Redskins play in Landover, Maryland[4] and the New York Giants play in East Rutherford, New Jersey,[5] where they share a stadium with the New York Jets. Somewhat analogously, all four teams in the AFC East do not play within the boundaries of their metro areas’ main cities.

The NFC East can also be called the most valuable NFL division. All four teams in the division are in the top ten of most valuable NFL franchises (Cowboys #1; Giants #3; Redskins #4; Eagles #10).[6] The next closest division is the AFC North, which is not completed until the 26th ranked Cincinnati Bengals.[7]

Division lineups[edit | edit source]

Place cursor over year for division champ or Super Bowl team.

NFL Eastern Conference
Capitol Division
NFC East DivisionTemplate:Ref label
1900s 2000s
67Template:Ref label 68 69 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
Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Redskins
N.O. Saints NY Giants N.O. Saints New York Giants
  St. Louis CardinalsTemplate:Ref label Phoenix Cardinals Arizona CardinalsTemplate:Ref label
NFC East Division Template:Ref label
2000s
02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Redskins
New York Giants
     Team not in division      Division Won Super Bowl      Division Won NFC Championship
Template:Note label The Eastern Conference was divided into the Capitol and Century Divisions. Dallas, Philadelphia, and Washington moved in. Also, the New Orleans Saints joined the league.
Template:Note labelThe Capitol Division became the National Football Conference East division (called "NFC East"). New Orleans realigned to the NFC West. The Giants and Cardinals are added from the Century Division.
Template:Note labelSt. Louis moved to Phoenix in 1988. The team changed its name from Phoenix Cardinals to the Arizona Cardinals in 1994.
Template:Note labelArizona moved to the NFC West when the league realigned into 8 four-team divisions before the 2002 season.

Division champions[edit | edit source]

As NFL Capitol Division[edit | edit source]

Season Team Record Playoff Results
NFL Capitol
1967 Dallas Cowboys 9–5 Lost NFL Championship
1968 Dallas Cowboys 12–2 Lost NFL Divisional Playoffs
1969 Dallas Cowboys 11–2–1 Lost NFL Divisional Playoffs

There was one division sweep of the Capitol Division, 1969 Cowboys 6-0[8]

As NFC East[edit | edit source]

Season Team Record Playoff Results
1970 Dallas Cowboys 10–4 Lost Super Bowl V
1971 Dallas Cowboys 11–3 Won Super Bowl VI
1972 Washington Redskins 11–3 Lost Super Bowl VII
1973 Dallas Cowboys 10–4 Lost NFC Championship Game
1974 St. Louis Cardinals 10–4 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1975 St. Louis Cardinals 11–3 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1976 Dallas Cowboys 11–3 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1977 Dallas Cowboys 12–2 Won Super Bowl XII
1978 Dallas Cowboys 12–4 Lost Super Bowl XIII
1979 Dallas Cowboys 11–5 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1980 Philadelphia Eagles 12–4 Lost Super Bowl XV
1981 Dallas Cowboys 12–4 Lost NFC Championship Game
1982 Washington Redskins 8–1 Won Super Bowl XVII*
1983 Washington Redskins 14–2 Lost Super Bowl XVIII
1984 Washington Redskins 11–5 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1985 Dallas Cowboys 10–6 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1986 New York Giants 14–2 Won Super Bowl XXI
1987 Washington Redskins 11–4 Won Super Bowl XXII++
1988 Philadelphia Eagles 10–6 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1989 New York Giants 12–4 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1990 New York Giants 13–3 Won Super Bowl XXV
1991 Washington Redskins 14–2 Won Super Bowl XXVI
1992 Dallas Cowboys 13–3 Won Super Bowl XXVII
1993 Dallas Cowboys 12–4 Won Super Bowl XXVIII
1994 Dallas Cowboys 12–4 Lost NFC Championship Game
1995 Dallas Cowboys 12–4 Won Super Bowl XXX
1996 Dallas Cowboys 10–6 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
1997 New York Giants 10–5–1 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
1998 Dallas Cowboys 10–6 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
1999 Washington Redskins 10–6 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2000 New York Giants 12–4 Lost Super Bowl XXXV
2001 Philadelphia Eagles 11–5 Lost NFC Championship Game
NFC East
2002 Philadelphia Eagles 12–4 Lost NFC Championship Game
2003 Philadelphia Eagles 12–4 Lost NFC Championship Game
2004 Philadelphia Eagles 13–3 Lost Super Bowl XXXIX
2005 New York Giants 11–5 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2006 Philadelphia Eagles 10–6 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2007 Dallas Cowboys 13–3 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2008 New York Giants 17-14 NFC Divisional Playoffs
2009 Dallas Cowboys 11–5 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2010 Philadelphia Eagles 10–6 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2011 New York Giants 9–7 Won Super Bowl XLVI
2012 Washington Redskins 10–6 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2013 Philadelphia Eagles 10–6 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2014 Dallas Cowboys 12–4 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2015 Washington Redskins 9–7 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2016 Dallas Cowboys 13–3 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2017 Philadelphia Eagles 13–3 Won Super Bowl LII
  • * 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; Washington had the best record of the division teams and won the Super Bowl.
  • ++ The 1987 Redskins are the only NFC 3rd Seed to win the Super Bowl.[9]
  • ^ The 2007 Dallas Cowboys were defeated by division rival and NFC 5th Seed New York Giants, who ultimately won Super Bowl XLII.
  • # The 2011 New York Giants are the only sub-10-win team to win the Super Bowl (other than the 1982 Redskins listed above), as well as the only team to win the Super Bowl as the NFC's 4th Seed.[9]

All four teams in the NFC East have won the Super Bowl. The Cowboys lead with five, followed by the Giants with four, the Redskins with three, and the Eagles with one. In overall NFL history, however, the Giants lead with eight league championships, followed by the Redskins and Cowboys with five each, then the Eagles with four.

There have been two division sweeps of the NFC East Division, the 1998 Dallas Cowboys (8–0) and the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles (6–0).[8]

Wild Card qualifiers[edit | edit source]

Season Team Record Playoff Results
NFC East
1971 Washington Redskins 9–4–1 Lost Divisional Playoffs
1972 Dallas Cowboys 10–4 Lost NFC Championship Game
1973 Washington Redskins 10–4 Lost Divisional Playoffs
1974 Washington Redskins 10–4 Lost Divisional Playoffs
1975 Dallas Cowboys 10–4 Lost Super Bowl X
1976 Washington Redskins 10–4 Lost Divisional Playoffs
1978 Philadelphia Eagles 9–7 Lost Wild Card Playoffs
1979 Philadelphia Eagles 11–5 Lost Divisional Playoffs
1980 Dallas Cowboys 12–4 Lost NFC Championship Game
1981 Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants
10–6
9–7
Lost Wild Card Playoffs
Lost Divisional Playoffs
1982+ Dallas Cowboys
St. Louis Cardinals
6–3
5–4
Lost NFC Championship Game
Lost NFC First Round
1983 Dallas Cowboys 12–4 Lost Wild Card Playoffs
1984 New York Giants 9–7 Lost Divisional Playoffs
1985 New York Giants 10–6 Lost Divisional Playoffs
1986 Washington Redskins 12–4 Lost NFC Championship Game
1989 Philadelphia Eagles 11–5 Lost Wild Card Playoffs
1990 Washington Redskins
Philadelphia Eagles
10–6
10–6
Lost Divisional Playoffs
Lost Wild Card Playoffs
1991 Dallas Cowboys 11–5 Lost Divisional Playoffs
1992 Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Redskins
10–6
9–7
Lost Divisional Playoffs
Lost Divisional Playoffs
1993 New York Giants 11–5 Lost Divisional Playoffs
1995 Philadelphia Eagles 10–6 Lost Divisional Playoffs
1996 Philadelphia Eagles 10–6 Lost Wild Card Playoffs
1998 Arizona Cardinals 9–7 Lost Divisional Playoffs
1999 Dallas Cowboys 8–8 Lost Wild Card Playoffs
2000 Philadelphia Eagles 11–5 Lost Divisional Playoffs
NFC East
2002 New York Giants 10–6 Lost Wild Card Playoffs
2003 Dallas Cowboys 10–6 Lost Wild Card Playoffs
2005 Washington Redskins 10–6 Lost Divisional Playoffs
2006 Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants
9–7
8–8
Lost Wild Card Playoffs
Lost Wild Card Playoffs
2007 New York Giants
Washington Redskins
10–6
9–7
Won Super Bowl XLII**
Lost Wild Card Playoffs
2008 Philadelphia Eagles 9–6–1 Lost NFC Championship Game
2009 Philadelphia Eagles 11–5 Lost Wild Card Playoffs
2016 New York Giants 11–5 Lost Wild Card Playoffs
  • + A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games, so the league used a special 16-team playoff tournament just for this year.
  • ** The 2007 New York Giants are the only NFC East team to win a Super Bowl as a Wild Card team, and the only NFL team in history to win the Super Bowl as a 5th Seed in either Conference.[9]

Total playoff berths[edit | edit source]

(NFC East records 1967-2017)
Team Division
Championships
Playoff
Berths
Super Bowl
Appearances
Super Bowl
Championships
Dallas Cowboys 22 32 8 5
Philadelphia Eagles 10 21 3 1
Washington Redskins 9 18 5 3
New York Giants 8 15 5 4
Arizona Cardinals1 2 4 0 0

To sort table above, click button to right of heading.

NFC East Division
Championships
Playoff
Berths
NFC
Championships
Super Bowl
Championships
Totals- 1967-2017 51 89 22 13
1These numbers only reflect the Cardinals' time as a member of the NFC East, as the team realigned to the NFC West after the 2001 season.

Season results[edit | edit source]

(#) Denotes team that won the Super Bowl
(#) Denotes team that won the NFC Championship
(#) Denotes team that qualified for the NFL Playoffs
Season Team (record)
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
NFL Capitol
1967 Dallas Cowboys (9–5) Philadelphia Eagles (6–7–1) Washington Redskins (5–6–3) New Orleans Saints (3–11)
1968 Dallas Cowboys (12–2) New York Giants (7–7) Washington Redskins (5–9) Philadelphia Eagles (2–12)
1969 Dallas Cowboys (11–2–1) Washington Redskins (7–5–2) New Orleans Saints (5–9) Philadelphia Eagles (4–9–1)
NFC East
1970 Dallas Cowboys (10–4) New York Giants (9–5) St. Louis Cardinals (8–5–1) Washington Redskins (6–8) Philadelphia Eagles (3–10–1)
1971 Dallas Cowboys (11–3) Washington Redskins (9–4–1) Philadelphia Eagles (6–7–1) St. Louis Cardinals (4–9–1) New York Giants (4–10)
1972 Washington Redskins (11–3) Dallas Cowboys (10–4) New York Giants (8–6) St. Louis Cardinals (4–9–1) Philadelphia Eagles (2–11–1)
1973 Dallas Cowboys (10–4) Washington Redskins (10–4) Philadelphia Eagles (5–8–1) St. Louis Cardinals (4–9–1) New York Giants (2–11–1)
1974 St. Louis Cardinals (10–4) Washington Redskins (10–4) Dallas Cowboys (8–6) Philadelphia Eagles (7–7) New York Giants (2–12)
1975 (3)St. Louis Cardinals (11–3) (4)Dallas Cowboys (10–4) Washington Redskins (8–6) New York Giants (5–9) Philadelphia Eagles (4–10)
1976 (2)Dallas Cowboys (11–3) (4)Washington Redskins (10–4) St. Louis Cardinals (10–4) Philadelphia Eagles (4–10) New York Giants (3–11)
1977 (1)Dallas Cowboys (12–2) Washington Redskins (9–5) St. Louis Cardinals (7–7) Philadelphia Eagles (5–9) New York Giants (5–9)
1978 (2)Dallas Cowboys (12–4) (5)Philadelphia Eagles (9–7) Washington Redskins (8–8) St. Louis Cardinals (6–10) New York Giants (6–10)
1979 (1)Dallas Cowboys (11–5) (4)Philadelphia Eagles (11–5) Washington Redskins (10–6) New York Giants (6–10) St. Louis Cardinals (5–11)
1980 (2)Philadelphia Eagles (12–4) (4)Dallas Cowboys (12–4) Washington Redskins (6–10) St. Louis Cardinals (5–11) New York Giants (4–12)
1981 (2)Dallas Cowboys (12–4) (4)Philadelphia Eagles (10–6) (5)New York Giants (9–7) Washington Redskins (8–8) St. Louis Cardinals (7–9)
1982 (1)Washington Redskins (8–1) (2)Dallas Cowboys (6–3) (6)St. Louis Cardinals (5–4) New York Giants (4–5) Philadelphia Eagles (3–6)
1983 (1)Washington Redskins (14–2) (4)Dallas Cowboys (12–4) St. Louis Cardinals (8–7–1) Philadelphia Eagles (5–11) New York Giants (3–12–1)
1984 (2)Washington Redskins (11–5) (5)New York Giants (9–7) St. Louis Cardinals (9–7) Dallas Cowboys (9–7) Philadelphia Eagles (6–9–1)
1985 (3)Dallas Cowboys (10–6) (4)New York Giants (10–6) Washington Redskins (10–6) Philadelphia Eagles (7–9) St. Louis Cardinals (5–11)
1986 (1)New York Giants (14–2) (4)Washington Redskins (12–4) Dallas Cowboys (7–9) Philadelphia Eagles (5–10–1) St. Louis Cardinals (4–11–1)
1987 (3)Washington Redskins (11–4) Dallas Cowboys (7–8) St. Louis Cardinals (7–8) Philadelphia Eagles (7–8) New York Giants (6–9)
1988 (3)Philadelphia Eagles (10–6) New York Giants (10–6) Washington Redskins (7–9) Phoenix Cardinals (7–9) Dallas Cowboys (3–13)
1989 (2)New York Giants (12–4) (4)Philadelphia Eagles (11–5) Washington Redskins (10–6) Phoenix Cardinals (5–11) Dallas Cowboys (1–15)
1990 (2)New York Giants (13–3) (4)Philadelphia Eagles (10–6) (5)Washington Redskins (10–6) Dallas Cowboys (7–9) Phoenix Cardinals (5–11)
1991 (1)Washington Redskins (14–2) (5)Dallas Cowboys (11–5) Philadelphia Eagles (10–6) New York Giants (8–8) Phoenix Cardinals (4–12)
1992 (2)Dallas Cowboys (13–3) (5)Philadelphia Eagles (11–5) (6)Washington Redskins (9–7) New York Giants (6–10) Phoenix Cardinals (4–12)
1993 (1)Dallas Cowboys (12–4) (4)New York Giants (11–5) Philadelphia Eagles (8–8) Phoenix Cardinals (7–9) Washington Redskins (4–12)
1994 (2)Dallas Cowboys (12–4) New York Giants (9–7) Arizona Cardinals (8–8) Philadelphia Eagles (7–9) Washington Redskins (3–13)
1995 (1)Dallas Cowboys (12–4) (4)Philadelphia Eagles (10–6) Washington Redskins (6–10) New York Giants (5–11) Arizona Cardinals (4–12)
1996 (3)Dallas Cowboys (10–6) (5)Philadelphia Eagles (10–6) Washington Redskins (9–7) Arizona Cardinals (7–9) New York Giants (6–10)
1997 (3)New York Giants (10–5–1) Washington Redskins (8–7–1) Philadelphia Eagles (6–9–1) Dallas Cowboys (6–10) Arizona Cardinals (4–12)
1998 (3)Dallas Cowboys (10–6) (6)Arizona Cardinals (9–7) New York Giants (8–8) Washington Redskins (6–10) Philadelphia Eagles (3–13)
1999 (3)Washington Redskins (10–6) (5)Dallas Cowboys (8–8) New York Giants (7–9) Arizona Cardinals (6–10) Philadelphia Eagles (5–11)
2000 (1)New York Giants (12–4) (4)Philadelphia Eagles (11–5) Washington Redskins (8–8) Dallas Cowboys (5–11) Arizona Cardinals (3–13)
2001 (3)Philadelphia Eagles (11–5) Washington Redskins (8–8) New York Giants (7–9) Arizona Cardinals (7–9) Dallas Cowboys (5–11)
2002 (1) Philadelphia (12–4) (5) N.Y. Giants (10–6) Washington (7–9) Dallas (5–11)
2003 (1) Philadelphia (12–4) (6) Dallas (10–6) Washington (5–11) N.Y. Giants (4–12)
2004 (1) Philadelphia (13–3) N.Y. Giants (6–10) Dallas (6–10) Washington (6–10)
2005 (4) N.Y. Giants (11–5) (6) Washington (10–6) Dallas (9–7) Philadelphia (6–10)
2006 (3) Philadelphia (10–6) (5) Dallas (9–7) (6) N.Y. Giants (8–8) Washington (5–11)
2007 (1) Dallas (13–3) (5) N.Y. Giants (10–6) (6) Washington (9–7) Philadelphia (8–8)
2008 (1) N.Y. Giants (12–4) (6) Philadelphia (9–6–1) Dallas (9–7) Washington (8–8)
2009 (3) Dallas (11–5) (6) Philadelphia (11–5) N.Y. Giants (8–8) Washington (4–12)
2010 (3) Philadelphia (10–6) N.Y. Giants (10–6) Dallas (6–10) Washington (6–10)
2011 (4) N.Y. Giants (9–7) Philadelphia (8–8) Dallas (8–8) Washington (5–11)
2012 (4) Washington (10–6) N.Y. Giants (9–7) Dallas (8–8) Philadelphia (4–12)
2013 (3) Philadelphia (10–6) Dallas (8–8) N.Y. Giants (7–9) Washington (3–13)
2014 (3) Dallas (12–4) Philadelphia (10–6) N.Y. Giants (6–10) Washington (4–12)
2015 (4) Washington (9–7) Philadelphia (7–9) N.Y. Giants (6–10) Dallas (4–12)
2016 (1) Dallas (13–3) (5) N.Y. Giants (11–5) Washington (8–7–1) Philadelphia (7–9)
2017 (1) Philadelphia (13–3) Dallas (9–7) Washington (7–9) N.Y. Giants (3–13)

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-07. Retrieved 2012-07-20. 
  2. "Lincoln Financial Field - Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2016-11-30. 
  3. "AT&T Stadium - Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2016-11-30. 
  4. "FedExField". Redskins. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  5. "Met Life Stadium - Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2016-11-30. 
  6. "Sports Money: 2017 NFL Valuations". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-04-02. 
  7. Ozanian, Mike (September 5, 2012). "Dallas Cowboys Lead NFL With $2.1 Billion Valuation". Forbes. Retrieved 2016-11-30. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 "NFL.com - Official Site of the National Football League - NFL.com". www.nfl.com. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Graphic: Which NFL Playoff Seeds Succeed?". 

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