Realistic Grades for Every NFL Team's 2025 Season

With the NFL season now complete for 30 teams—and the 2025 Patriots and Seahawks already cemented as successes—we can begin a grade-based retrospective on what was a wild and unpredictable campaign.

Our evaluations are based on win-loss records, statistical rankings, progression, and regression trends, while taking injuries and schedules into account. These assessments mostly reflect the regular season, but in some cases playoff results were a huge factor as well. 

And as a rule of thumb, teams that missed the playoffs earned no higher than a B. Postseason clubs automatically achieved a C or better.

With that in mind, time for report cards.

AFC East

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills (12-5): C

That whole thing about the playoffs sometimes being a huge factor? And that other thing about postseason teams being guaranteed a B- or better? Both are extremely relevant here, as a strong 12-win regular season means almost nothing to a Bills squad that once again fell well short of the Super Bowl. Now, a constantly underachieving team with a sudden head-coaching vacancy and a lack of talent and depth surrounding an increasingly expensive quarterback is a bit of a mess. 

Miami Dolphins (7-10): C-

I mean, did anyone really expect more from them considering the trajectory of the team as well as the injuries that clearly held them back? They deserve some credit for a midseason four-game winning streak to get back into the playoff picture. Ultimately, though, Tua Tagovailoa did play every game before being benched for the final three weeks. He simply wasn't good enough for a mediocre team that went just 1-5 against opponents with winning records. 

New England Patriots (14-3): A+

Yes, they faced a soft schedule. But that doesn't change the fact quarterback Drake Maye became the real deal while Mike Vrabel's defense was consistently dominant in a shocking Super Bowl campaign. You can't fault them for who they've played, although I wouldn't be opposed to downgrading this to an A if they fall on their face in Super Bowl LX. 

New York Jets (3-14): D-

The Jets cleaned house to an extent midway through the season, so let's not pile on too much with regard to their horrendous minus-203 scoring margin. But the organization deserves criticism for a swing and miss at quarterback that it probably should have seen coming. And at this juncture, it's hard to be fired up about the regime that took over and failed to deliver success on either side of the ball, before and after the fire sale. 

AFC North

AP Photo/Justin Berl

Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens (8-9): D+

Along with the Chiefs and Lions, the Ravens were one of the great underachievers of 2025. Lamar Jackson's injury situation is a significant factor that deserves consideration, but it doesn't absolve a team that struggled defensively and still came up short when it had a chance to win the division. I'm not sure they're moving in the right direction as they close out the John Harbaugh era. 

Cincinnati Bengals (6-11): D

Look, they were 5-3 in games started by Joe Burrow, and you can't fault them for hitching their wagon to Burrow because he's one of the best in the league when healthy. What you can fault them for is lacking a strong contingency plan, and for continuing to field a problematic offensive line as well as a horrible defense in "support" of Burrow and their two star receivers. 

Cleveland Browns (5-12): C

They entered the season with a mess at quarterback, a lack of support for their superstar edge rusher and the worst Super Bowl odds in the NFL. Five wins ain't too bad under those circumstances. They still don't have a clear answer at quarterback and now have a head-coaching vacancy, but this isn't a total write-off considering the talent on defense.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7): B

Yes, they won the division. No, they were never a legit contender. The ceiling was always there with old man Aaron Rodgers, leading to the end of the Mike Tomlin era. Now, they're almost at a point of starting from scratch. But the offensive line is strong, there is plenty of defensive talent and they do get credit for the surprise division title. 

AFC South

AP Photo/Steven Senne

C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans (12-5): B

This is tricky. They won 12 games behind a magnificent defense, but they still failed to win the division crown and quarterback C.J. Stroud was a disaster in the playoffs. Now, it's fair to wonder if the Texans have also hit their ceiling under Stroud. This is a good-not-great team.  

Indianapolis Colts (8-9): C

They started 7-1 with the best scoring margin in the NFL before it all fell apart in the second half of the season. The Daniel Jones redemption is worth extra credit, but the team was headed downhill before Jones got hurt. They were ultimately 2-8 against opponents with winning records. Things truly could go either way from here. 

Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4): A

I'm not going to punish them too much for running into a strong Bills team in the playoffs. Altogether, this was an incredibly promising campaign for a Jags squad that finally saw Trevor Lawrence hit a groove under new head coach Liam Coen. The offense was balanced, the defense made plays all year, and there's plenty of hope entering 2026 for this division champion. 

Tennessee Titans (3-14): C+

There isn't much talent around Cam Ward yet, and I hope we've learned not to write off quarterbacks based on poor rookie campaigns without significant support. The Titans also went through a midseason coaching change and faced the toughest schedule in football, per the ESPN Power Index. They were undoubtedly a bad team, but it's worth noting that Ward made significant progress as they went 2-3 in their final five games. 

AFC West

AP Photo/Bart Young

Bo Nix

Denver Broncos (14-3): A-

While they're certainly on the right track, I'm not as high on the Broncos as many others. Bo Nix had a "meh" sophomore season with plenty of ups and downs but was bailed out by a great offensive line and greater defense. Those things count for a lot! Still, the overall talent level might need to improve and Nix will have to take a step forward. They went 11-2 in one-score games, 10-1 against losing teams and had a league-high 12 comeback wins. Not sure how sustainable that is. 

Kansas City Chiefs (6-11): F 

Unmitigated disaster. Patrick Mahomes is beyond his prime following another mediocre season, and he's losing support by the year for a team that is in clear decline. They went 0-8 against playoff teams as it all came crashing down. 

Las Vegas Raiders (3-14): F

I mean, what's their excuse? They brought in a veteran quarterback who failed miserably—something they probably should have seen coming. Their schedule was tough but they still went 2-6 against losing teams. And in terms of man-games missed, they were the healthiest team in the NFL. What a trainwreck. 

Los Angeles Chargers (11-6): B-

The offensive line was a huge problem, but that was primarily due to injuries in key spots. Justin Herbert was good but not elite and the defense was again a strength as they rode a somewhat soft schedule to the playoffs. The Chargers aren't special, but the path is there.

NFC East

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Jaxson Dart

Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1): D-

The league's worst defense surrendered more than 30 points per game as the Cowboys finished below .500 for the second year in a row. It's a shame, because Dak Prescott wasn't the problem and neither was his supporting cast. But they won just once in eight games against opponents with winning records and are graded on that as well as the defensive mess we saw all season.

New York Giants (4-13): B-

This was an extremely encouraging season for the Giants, who may have their long-term options at quarterback, running back and No. 1 receiver. Two of those options missed large chunks of the campaign due to injury, and the other—quarterback Jaxson Dart—has just 12 starts under his belt. But the ingredients are in place (including a sneaky strong offensive line) for a team that would have been a borderline playoff contender if not for its 1-7 record in one-score games. 

Philadelphia Eagles (11-6): C+

When you're the defending champs and a Super Bowl favorite and you fail to win a playoff game, it's a bust of a season even if you earn a curse-breaking division title. The Eagles remain a perennial contender with elite talent on both sides of the ball, but some tweaks may be needed and they'll likely require more from quarterback Jalen Hurts. That starts with a new offensive coordinator. 

Washington Commanders (5-12): D+

The Commanders were gutted by injuries, particularly to the offensive core as Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin both missed significant time. Still, 5-12? With the defense surrendering 26.5 points per game? This team just didn't have it. They'll have to hope it was a one-off. 

NFC North

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

Ben Johnson

Chicago Bears (11-6): A

This campaign really couldn't have gone much better for the Bears, who look as though they have their coach and their quarterback and plenty of support for both. The defense had some hiccups but is on the right trajectory after leading the league with 33 takeaways as Chicago fell just short of the NFC title game. 

Detroit Lions (9-8): D-

Injuries were undoubtedly a factor, especially on defense, but a nine-win campaign is still unacceptable considering the talent this team has on offense. They still got 17 games out of their quarterback and their top three offensive weapons but continually didn't have it in them when it mattered most. They missed their departed coordinators from 2024, as well as a semblance of defensive depth. This core may have peaked. 

Green Bay Packers (9-7-1): C

Considering preseason expectations were sky-high following the acquisition of Micah Parsons, a nine-win campaign and no playoff success is a tremendous disappointment for the Packers. Losing Parsons in December is a big factor, and injuries to Jordan Love didn't help. But the support still wasn't there for Love, despite the team finally using a first-round pick on a receiver (who scored zero regular-season touchdowns). It's not a lost cause, but a lot of progress is needed.

Minnesota Vikings (9-8): D-

They let Sam Darnold go in favor of J.J. McCarthy, and now Darnold is quarterbacking the Seahawks in the Super Bowl while the Vikings are left wondering where to go at the most important position in the sport. That alone hurts Minnesota's grade, as does a defense that was abysmal in October and November. 

NFC South

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Tyler Shough

Atlanta Falcons (8-9): D-

They missed the playoffs with a losing record for the eighth year in a row, and they're no closer to knowing if Michael Penix Jr. is the answer under center. Considering the talent they have elsewhere on offense and up front on defense, that's no bueno for a team that had the fifth-easiest schedule in the league. 

Carolina Panthers (8-9): B-

Let's not get ahead of ourselves based on that somewhat flukey playoff berth in a terrible division. Carolina's minus-69 scoring margin is the fourth-worst points differential total for a playoff team in NFL history. This remains a rebuilding team, and it really still could go either way for quarterback Bryce Young. Still, progress was made in 2025. 

New Orleans Saints: C+

Honestly, 6-11 ain't bad considering the talent level. They also get credit for seemingly locking in a franchise quarterback in Tyler Shough. Still, the Saints were one of the league's worst teams despite the softest schedule in the NFC. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9): D-

The Bucs simply fell apart with a 2-7 record after their Week 9 bye, which is ridiculous considering the talent and experience on that roster. It sure feels like they've hit a ceiling and need a shakeup, but they're going status quo under center and at head coach. Meh. 

NFC West

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Sean McVay

Arizona Cardinals (3-14): D

You might be surprised to see anything but an F for a team that went 3-14 despite major talent at quarterback, wide receiver and tight end. But this Arizona squad had the worst luck in the NFC in terms of strength of schedule and the worst injury luck in the NFL based on man-games lost. Kyler Murray can't be relied on, but did we expect much better from a team that used Jacoby Brissett as a starter 12 times in 2025? That said, a lack of progress from the defense and the offensive line and an inability to win close games holds them back significantly. 

Los Angeles Rams (12-5): A

The Rams delivered for much of a very healthy season, with Matthew Stafford putting together his best campaign as a pro and the defense taking a big step forward in all facets. Falling just short of the Super Bowl via a close road loss to the red-hot Seahawks is nothing to be ashamed of for Sean McVay's squad. 

San Francisco 49ers (12-5): B+

Yes, they were once again hammered by injuries. But at some point, that can't be a full excuse. It's worth investigating why this keeps happening. Still, they deserve credit for reaching the Divisional Playoffs despite all of that attrition in the league's most unforgivable division.

Seattle Seahawks (14-3): A+

Seattle is now up to 8-2 against teams with winning records this season, which really drives home how legitimate this Super Bowl favorite is. Mike Macdonald's defense has been so much greater than the sum of its parts, and the Sam Darnold-Jaxon Smith-Njigba connection has often been unstoppable. It takes something special for a team to cruise to the Super Bowl despite a second-to-league-worst 28 turnovers. Seattle's three losses this year have come by a grand total of nine points, with two of them coming in the first five weeks of the season.