By Sunday 
If the NFL were a science experiment, the NFC North would be the volatile beaker bubbling over — unpredictable, electric, and definitely dangerous to handle barehanded. After a blockbuster 2024 season where all four teams played like they were auditioning for a “Best Division in Football” documentary, the NFC North enters 2025 looking even more unhinged — in the best way possible.
The Division That Refuses to Chill
Let’s recap: Last season, the NFC North clocked in a combined .662 winning percentage — the highest for any division in NFL history. That’s not just “good,” that’s “make-other-divisions-sweat-through-their-hoodies” good. But is it sustainable? Can four teams really keep turning up the heat in a division where everybody knows your playbook and your mom’s favorite chili recipe?
According to NFL.com’s Eric Edholm, yes. Yes, they can. And they might just destroy the rest of the league while they’re at it.
Lions Still in Beast Mode
The Detroit Lions — fresh off a 15-2 season and another NFC North crown — are still stomping around the division like they own the place. Sure, they lost their offensive and defensive coordinators (RIP trick plays and angry sideline fist bumps), but the roster is still one of the most stacked in the league.
ESPN and NFL.com agree: The Lions are no fluke. They’re deep, battle-tested, and not here to make friends. As Edholm puts it, “It’s hard to imagine this team suddenly going in the tank, even in such a stacked division.”
Translation? Chaos scientists, report to the lab — the Lions are still cooking.
Vikings: High Risk, High Reward
Over in Minnesota, the Vikings are entering the J.J. McCarthy experiment. With veteran Sam Darnold gone, the rookie QB takes the wheel of a playoff-ready Ferrari. It could be a beautiful road trip… or a fiery crash involving several NFC safeties.
But the roster? Chef’s kiss. McCarthy just has to be “competent” — which is either the nicest or shadiest compliment a rookie QB can get. Add Jordan Mason to help Aaron Jones and you’ve got a team that’s terrifying in the trenches.
Packers: Third Place, First in Vibes
Let’s talk about the Green Bay Packers. Third in the division last year, but with 11 wins — tied for the most ever by a team finishing that low. Wild. They were nearly perfect outside the NFC North but got absolutely dunked on within it (1-5, yikes).
Still, Jordan Love is entering a “prove-it-or-lose-it” season. If the young receivers keep growing and the defense finally lives up to its paycheck, the Packers might go from “cute little rebuild” to “why is this team suddenly terrifying in December?”
Matt LaFleur’s record still shines, but Edholm throws a little cold water: “Big-game results are a stain on his glittering resume.”
If 2025 is different, Green Bay might become the biggest problem in a division already overflowing with them.
Bears: Last, But Loudest
And then there’s Chicago. Don’t let the odds fool you — the Bears aren’t just here for the pizza. New coach Ben Johnson (aka the guy Lions fans still text at 2 a.m. with “u up?”) is bringing fresh energy.
The team bolstered the offensive line and gave QB Caleb Williams a whole buffet of new weapons, including first-round TE Colston Loveland and second-round WR Luther Burden III. If it clicks? Watch out.
Welcome to the Chaos Division
Pro Football Focus calls the NFC North “a true murderer’s row.” That’s not hyperbole — that’s fact. These teams aren’t just trying to win; they’re actively trying to make the rest of the league miserable.
This isn’t the division you want to face when your playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. It’s the division you’d build in Madden if you turned salary cap off and gave every team a caffeine drip.
So, is the NFC North still the best division in football?
Yes. And it’s not close.