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The Gridiron West

A scholarly deep dive into the American Football Conference's Western Division, its storied teams, and its profound impact on NFL history.

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Division Overview

Foundational Structure

The American Football Conference – Western Division, commonly known as the AFC West, is one of the four divisions within the American Football Conference (AFC) of the National Football League (NFL). It was established in 1960, initially as the American Football League Western Division, and currently comprises four distinct franchises.

Current Membership

The division is presently composed of four prominent teams: the Denver Broncos, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Las Vegas Raiders, and the Los Angeles Chargers. These teams engage in a rigorous schedule, competing twice annually, which has fostered a deeply entrenched and often intense rivalry across the division for over six decades.

Championship Pedigree

The AFC West has a distinguished record in professional football, having sent its teams to the Super Bowl a remarkable twenty-one times since Super Bowl I. Collectively, these teams have secured ten Super Bowl victories, a feat surpassed only by the NFC East. The Kansas City Chiefs hold the distinction for the most Super Bowl wins within the division with four titles, while the Denver Broncos lead in Super Bowl appearances with eight.

Recent Dominance

As of the conclusion of the 2023 season, the Kansas City Chiefs have demonstrated exceptional dominance, clinching their ninth consecutive AFC West title in 2024, extending their record to 17 division titles. Notably, the 2022 Chiefs' victory rendered the AFC West as the sole NFL division where all four constituent teams had achieved an equal number of division titles, each holding fifteen at that juncture.[2][3][4]

Historical Evolution

Origins and Merger

The AFC West traces its origins to 1960 as the American Football League's Western Division. Following the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, it transitioned into the AFC West, maintaining its core structure. This continuity makes it arguably the oldest division in the NFL in its current form, with its original four teams having competed against each other for over 60 years.

Team Relocations and Stability

The division's original members were the Dallas Texans (who became the Kansas City Chiefs in 1963), the Denver Broncos, the Los Angeles Chargers (who moved to San Diego in 1961 and back to Los Angeles in 2017), and the Oakland Raiders (who relocated to Los Angeles in 1982, returned to Oakland in 1995, and finally moved to Las Vegas in 2020). Despite these geographical shifts, these four franchises have remained constant members of the division since its inception.

Transient Members

Over its history, the AFC West has temporarily hosted other teams. The Cincinnati Bengals played their final two AFL seasons in the division (1968-1969) before moving to the AFC Central (now AFC North) in 1970. The Seattle Seahawks were part of the AFC West from 1977 to 2001, having spent their inaugural expansion season in the NFC West, eventually returning to the NFC West in 2002. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also briefly played as an AFC West member in their first year (1976) before moving to the NFC Central in 1977.[5]

Periods of Strength and Weakness

In the early to mid-2000s, the AFC West was frequently recognized as one of the NFL's most formidable divisions, partly due to the significant home-field advantages offered by stadiums like Empower Field at Mile High (Broncos) and Arrowhead Stadium (Chiefs). However, the division experienced periods of relative weakness, notably in 2008 and 2011, when division winners advanced to the playoffs with records as modest as 8–8.

This table illustrates the historical composition of the AFL Western Division and later the AFC West, detailing team movements and championship outcomes.

AFL Western Division
1900s
60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69
Dallas Texans Kansas City Chiefs [A]
Denver Broncos
LA Chargers San Diego Chargers [B]
Oakland Raiders
  Cincinnati
Bengals [D]
AFC West Division
1900s 2000s
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
Kansas City Chiefs
Denver Broncos
San Diego Chargers
Oakland Raiders Los Angeles Raiders [C] Oakland Raiders
  Tampa
Bay
Buccaneers[E] 		Seattle Seahawks[F]
AFC West Division
2000s
02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Kansas City Chiefs
Denver Broncos
San Diego Chargers Los Angeles Chargers
Oakland Raiders Las Vegas Raiders[G]
  Team not in division   Division Won AFL Championship   Division Won AFL Championship, Lost Super Bowl   Division Won AFC Championship   Division Won Super Bowl
A Dallas Texans moved to Kansas City, Missouri and were subsequently renamed the Kansas City Chiefs (1963 season)
B Los Angeles Chargers moved to San Diego (1961 season) but moved back in 2017.
C Oakland Raiders moved to Los Angeles (1982 season). The team returned to Oakland for the 1995 season.
D Cincinnati Bengals enfranchised (1968 season). After 1970 merger with NFL, the team moved to the AFC Central.
E Tampa Bay was enfranchised in 1976. The Buccaneers moved to the NFC Central after their inaugural season, and departed for the newly formed NFC South after the 2001 season.
F Seattle Seahawks moved from the NFC West division (1977 Season). In 2002 they moved back to the NFC West.
G Oakland Raiders moved to the Las Vegas area (2020 season).

Current Teams

Denver Broncos

Founded in 1960, the Broncos have been a consistent presence in the AFC West. They boast a strong history, including multiple Super Bowl appearances and victories, contributing significantly to the division's competitive legacy. Their home-field advantage at Empower Field at Mile High is often cited as a factor in their performance.

Kansas City Chiefs

Originally the Dallas Texans, the franchise moved to Kansas City in 1963. The Chiefs have a rich history, including early AFL championships and recent Super Bowl successes. Their consistent performance, particularly in recent years, has made them a dominant force within the division, setting records for consecutive division titles.

Las Vegas Raiders

Beginning as the Oakland Raiders, this storied franchise has experienced several relocations, including stints in Los Angeles before settling in Las Vegas. Known for their distinctive culture and passionate fanbase, the Raiders have contributed to some of the most intense rivalries within the AFC West, marked by periods of significant success.

Los Angeles Chargers

Initially the Los Angeles Chargers, the team moved to San Diego in 1961 before returning to Los Angeles in 2017. The Chargers have a history of strong offensive play and have made one Super Bowl appearance. Their presence adds to the dynamic competitive landscape of the AFC West.

Champions Chronicle

Division Title Holders

This section provides a comprehensive record of the AFC West division champions, detailing their seasonal performance and subsequent playoff outcomes. The division has seen various teams rise to prominence, reflecting its competitive nature throughout the decades.

Season Team Record Playoff results
1960 Los Angeles Chargers (1) 10–4 Lost AFL Championship (at Oilers) 16–24
1961 San Diego Chargers (2) 12–2 Lost AFL Championship (Oilers) 3–10
1962 Dallas Texans (1) 11–3 Won AFL Championship (Oilers) 20–17 (2OT)
1963 San Diego Chargers (3) 11–3 Won AFL Championship (Patriots) 51–10
1964 San Diego Chargers (4) 8–5–1 Lost AFL Championship (at Bills) 7–20
1965 San Diego Chargers (5) 9–2–3 Lost AFL Championship (Bills) 0–23
1966 Kansas City Chiefs (2) 11–2–1 Won AFL Championship (Bills) 31–7
Lost Super Bowl I (vs. Packers) 10–35
1967 Oakland Raiders (1) 13–1 Won AFL Championship (Oilers) 40–7
Lost Super Bowl II (vs. Packers) 14–33
1968! Oakland Raiders (2) 12–2 Won Western Division playoff (Chiefs) 41–6
Lost AFL Championship (at Jets) 23–27
1969 Oakland Raiders (3) 12–1–1 Won Divisional playoffs (Oilers) 56–7
Lost AFL Championship (Chiefs) 7–17
1970 Oakland Raiders (4) 8–4–2 Won Divisional playoffs (Dolphins) 21–14
Lost AFC Championship (at Colts) 17–27
1971 Kansas City Chiefs (3) 10–3–1 Lost Divisional playoffs (Dolphins) 24–27 (2OT)
1972 Oakland Raiders (5) 10–3–1 Lost Divisional playoffs (at Steelers) 7–13
1973 Oakland Raiders (6) 9–4-1 Won Divisional playoffs (Steelers) 33–14
Lost AFC Championship (at Dolphins) 10–27
1974 Oakland Raiders (7) 12–2 Won Divisional playoffs (Dolphins) 28–26
Lost AFC Championship (Steelers) 13–24
1975 Oakland Raiders (8) 11–3 Won Divisional playoffs (Bengals) 31–28
Lost AFC Championship (at Steelers) 10–16
1976 Oakland Raiders (9) 13–1 Won Divisional playoffs (Patriots) 24–21
Won AFC Championship (Steelers) 24–7
Won Super Bowl XI (vs. Vikings) 32–14
1977 Denver Broncos (1) 12–2 Won Divisional playoffs (Steelers) 34–21
Won AFC Championship (Raiders) 20–17
Lost Super Bowl XII (vs. Cowboys) 10–27
1978 Denver Broncos (2) 10–6 Lost Divisional playoffs (at Steelers) 10–33
1979 San Diego Chargers (6) 12–4 Lost Divisional playoffs (Oilers) 14–17
1980 San Diego Chargers (7) 11–5 Won Divisional playoffs (Bills) 20–14
Lost AFC Championship (Raiders) 27–34
1981 San Diego Chargers (8) 10–6 Won Divisional playoffs (at Dolphins) 41–38 (OT)
Lost AFC Championship (at Bengals) 7–27
1982# Los Angeles Raiders# 8–1 Won First Round playoffs (Browns) 27–10
Lost Second Round playoffs (Jets) 14–17
1983 Los Angeles Raiders (10) 12–4 Won Divisional playoffs (Steelers) 38–10
Won AFC Championship (Seahawks) 30–14
Won Super Bowl XVIII (vs. Redskins) 38–9
1984 Denver Broncos (3) 13–3 Lost Divisional playoffs (Steelers) 17–24
1985 Los Angeles Raiders (11) 12–4 Lost Divisional playoffs (Patriots) 20–27
1986 Denver Broncos (4) 11–5 Won Divisional playoffs (Patriots) 22–17
Won AFC Championship (at Browns) 23–20 (OT)
Lost Super Bowl XXI (vs. Giants) 20–39
1987 Denver Broncos (5) 10–4–1 Won Divisional playoffs (Oilers) 34–10
Won AFC Championship (Browns) 38–33
Lost Super Bowl XXII (vs. Redskins) 10–42
1988 Seattle Seahawks (1) 9–7 Lost Divisional playoffs (at Bengals) 13–21
1989 Denver Broncos (6) 11–5 Won Divisional playoffs (Steelers) 24–23
Won AFC Championship (Browns) 37–21
Lost Super Bowl XXIV (vs. 49ers) 10–55
1990 Los Angeles Raiders (12) 12–4 Won Divisional playoffs (Bengals) 20–10
Lost AFC Championship (at Bills) 3–51
1991 Denver Broncos (7) 12–4 Won Divisional playoffs (Oilers) 26–24
Lost AFC Championship (at Bills) 7–10
1992 San Diego Chargers (9) 11–5 Won Wild Card playoffs (Chiefs) 17–0
Lost Divisional playoffs (at Dolphins) 0–31
1993 Kansas City Chiefs (4) 11–5 Won Wild Card playoffs (Steelers) 27–24 (OT)
Won Divisional playoffs (at Oilers) 28–20
Lost AFC Championship (at Bills) 13–30
1994 San Diego Chargers (10) 11–5 Won Divisional playoffs (Dolphins) 22–21
Won AFC Championship (at Steelers) 17–13
Lost Super Bowl XXIX (vs. 49ers) 26–49
1995 Kansas City Chiefs (5) 13–3 Lost Divisional playoffs (Colts) 7–10
1996 Denver Broncos (8) 13–3 Lost Divisional playoffs (Jaguars) 27–30
1997 Kansas City Chiefs (6) 13–3 Lost Divisional playoffs (Broncos) 10–14
1998 Denver Broncos (9) 14–2 Won Divisional playoffs (Dolphins) 38–3
Won AFC Championship (Jets) 23–10
Won Super Bowl XXXIII (vs. Falcons) 34–19
1999 Seattle Seahawks (2) 9–7 Lost Wild Card playoffs (Dolphins) 17–20
2000 Oakland Raiders (13) 12–4 Won Divisional playoffs (Dolphins) 27–0
Lost AFC Championship (Ravens) 3–16
2001 Oakland Raiders (14) 10–6 Won Wild Card playoffs (Jets) 38–24
Lost Divisional playoffs (at Patriots) 13–16 (OT)
2002 Oakland Raiders (15) 11–5 Won Divisional playoffs (Jets) 30–10
Won AFC Championship (Titans) 41–24
Lost Super Bowl XXXVII (vs. Buccaneers) 21–48
2003 Kansas City Chiefs (7) 13–3 Lost Divisional playoffs (Colts) 31–38
2004 San Diego Chargers (11) 12–4 Lost Wild Card playoffs (Jets) 17–20 (OT)
2005 Denver Broncos (10) 13–3 Won Divisional playoffs (Patriots) 27–13
Lost AFC Championship (Steelers) 17–34
2006 San Diego Chargers (12) 14–2 Lost Divisional playoffs (Patriots) 21–24
2007 San Diego Chargers (13) 11–5 Won Wild Card playoffs (Titans) 17–6
Won Divisional playoffs (at Colts) 28–24
Lost AFC Championship (at Patriots) 12–21
2008 San Diego Chargers (14) 8–8 Won Wild Card playoffs (Colts) 23–17 (OT)
Lost Divisional playoffs (at Steelers) 24–35
2009 San Diego Chargers (15) 13–3 Lost Divisional playoffs (Jets) 14–17
2010 Kansas City Chiefs (8) 10–6 Lost Wild Card playoffs (Ravens) 7–30
2011 Denver Broncos (11) 8–8 Won Wild Card playoffs (Steelers) 29–23 (OT)
Lost Divisional playoffs (at Patriots) 10–45
2012 Denver Broncos (12) 13–3 Lost Divisional playoffs (Ravens) 35–38 (2OT)
2013 Denver Broncos (13) 13–3 Won Divisional playoffs (Chargers) 24–17
Won AFC Championship (Patriots) 26–16
Lost Super Bowl XLVIII (vs. Seahawks) 8–43
2014 Denver Broncos (14) 12–4 Lost Divisional playoffs (Colts) 13–24
2015 Denver Broncos (15) 12–4 Won Divisional playoffs (Steelers) 23–16
Won AFC Championship (Patriots) 20–18
Won Super Bowl 50 (vs. Panthers) 24–10
2016 Kansas City Chiefs (9) 12–4 Lost Divisional playoffs (Steelers) 16–18
2017 Kansas City Chiefs (10) 10–6 Lost Wild Card playoffs (Titans) 21–22
2018 Kansas City Chiefs (11) 12–4 Won Divisional playoffs (Colts) 31–13
Lost AFC Championship (Patriots) 31–37 (OT)
2019 Kansas City Chiefs (12) 12–4 Won Divisional playoffs (Texans) 51–31
Won AFC Championship (Titans) 35–24
Won Super Bowl LIV (vs. 49ers) 31–20
2020 Kansas City Chiefs (13) 14–2 Won Divisional playoffs (Browns) 22–17
Won AFC Championship (Bills) 38–24
Lost Super Bowl LV (vs. Buccaneers) 9–31
2021 Kansas City Chiefs (14) 12–5 Won Wild Card playoffs (Steelers) 42–21
Won Divisional playoffs (Bills) 42–36 (OT)
Lost AFC Championship (Bengals) 24–27 (OT)
2022 Kansas City Chiefs (15) 14–3 Won Divisional playoffs (Jaguars) 27–20
Won AFC Championship (Bengals) 23–20
Won Super Bowl LVII (vs. Eagles) 38–35
2023 Kansas City Chiefs (16) 11–6 Won Wild Card playoffs (Dolphins) 26–7
Won Divisional playoffs (at Bills) 27–24
Won AFC Championship (at Ravens) 17–10
Won Super Bowl LVIII (vs. 49ers) 25–22 (OT)
2024 Kansas City Chiefs (17) 15–2 Won Divisional playoffs (Texans) 23–14
Won AFC Championship (Bills) 32–29
Lost Super Bowl LIX (vs. Eagles) 22–40
  • !The Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs tied for the regular season division title at 12–2. The Raiders won the ensuing playoff game to represent the West in the AFL Championship Game.
  • #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; the Los Angeles Raiders had the best record of the division teams.

Playoff Journeys

Wild Card Qualifiers

Beyond division champions, several AFC West teams have secured playoff berths through the Wild Card system, demonstrating their competitive strength even when not leading the division. This section highlights their postseason runs.

Season Team Record Playoff results
1969# Kansas City Chiefs 11–3 Won Divisional playoffs (Jets) 13–6
Won AFL Championship (Raiders) 17–7
Won Super Bowl IV (vs. Vikings) 23–7
1977 Oakland Raiders 11–3 Won Divisional playoffs (at Colts) 37–31 (2OT)
Lost AFC Championship (at Broncos) 17–20
1979 Denver Broncos 10–6 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Oilers) 7–13
1980 Oakland Raiders 11–5 Won Wild Card playoffs (Oilers) 27–7
Won Divisional playoffs (at Browns) 14–12
Won AFC Championship (at Chargers) 34–27
Won Super Bowl XV (vs. Eagles) 27–10
1982+ San Diego Chargers 6–3 Won First Round playoffs (at Steelers) 31–28
Lost Second Round playoffs (at Dolphins) 13–34
1983 Seattle Seahawks 9–7 Won Wild Card playoffs (Broncos) 31–7
Won Divisional playoffs (at Dolphins) 27–20
Lost AFC Championship (at Raiders) 14–30
Denver Broncos 9–7 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Seahawks) 7–31
1984 Seattle Seahawks 12–4 Won Wild Card playoffs (Raiders) 13–7
Lost Divisional playoffs (at Dolphins) 10–31
Los Angeles Raiders 11–5 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Seahawks) 7–13
1986 Kansas City Chiefs 10–6 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Jets) 15–35
1987 Seattle Seahawks 9–6 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Oilers) 20–23 (OT)
1990 Kansas City Chiefs 11–5 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Dolphins) 16–17
1991 Kansas City Chiefs 10–6 Won Wild Card playoffs (Raiders) 10–6
Lost Divisional playoffs (at Bills) 14–37
Los Angeles Raiders 9–7 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Chiefs) 6–10
1992 Kansas City Chiefs 10–6 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Chargers) 0–17
1993 Los Angeles Raiders 10–6 Won Wild Card playoffs (Broncos) 42–24
Lost Divisional playoffs (at Bills) 23–29
Denver Broncos 9–7 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Raiders) 24–42
1994 Kansas City Chiefs 9–7 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Dolphins) 17–27
1995 San Diego Chargers 9–7 Lost Wild Card playoffs (Colts) 20–35
1997 Denver Broncos 12–4 Won Wild Card playoffs (Jaguars) 42–17
Won Divisional playoffs (at Chiefs) 14–10
Won AFC Championship (at Steelers) 24–21
Won Super Bowl XXXII (vs. Packers) 31–24
2000 Denver Broncos 11–5 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Ravens) 3–21
2003 Denver Broncos 10–6 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Colts) 10–41
2004 Denver Broncos 10–6 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Colts) 24–49
2006 Kansas City Chiefs 9–7 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Colts) 8–23
2013 Kansas City Chiefs 11–5 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Colts) 44–45
San Diego Chargers 9–7 Won Wild Card playoffs (at Bengals) 27–10
Lost Divisional playoffs (at Broncos) 17–24
2015 Kansas City Chiefs 11–5 Won Wild Card playoffs (at Texans) 30–0
Lost Divisional playoffs (at Patriots) 20–27
2016 Oakland Raiders 12–4 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Texans) 14–27
2018 Los Angeles Chargers 12–4 Won Wild Card playoffs (at Ravens) 23–17
Lost Divisional playoffs (at Patriots) 28–41
2021 Las Vegas Raiders 10–7 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Bengals) 19–26
2022 Los Angeles Chargers 10–7 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Jaguars) 30–31
2024 Los Angeles Chargers 11–6 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Texans) 12–32
Denver Broncos 10–7 Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Bills) 7–31

# In 1969, The Western Division 2nd place team played the Eastern Division 1st place team in an Interdivisional game.

  • 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; the Los Angeles Raiders had the best record of the division teams.

Statistical Records

Playoff Berths Summary

This table provides a comprehensive overview of each team's playoff achievements, including division championships, conference championships, and Super Bowl victories, reflecting their historical impact within the AFC West and the broader NFL landscape.

Team AFL/AFC West Division
Championships		 Playoff
Berths		 AFC Conference
Championships*		 AFL
Championships†		 Super Bowl
Championships		 Total
Championships‡
Denver Broncos 15 22 8 0 3 3
Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs 17 26 6 1 4 5
Oakland/Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders 16 23 5 0 3 3
San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers 15 19 1 1 0 1
Totals 90 20 2 10 12

*Combines AFC Championships and AFL Championships won between 1966 and 1969
†AFL Championships won prior to Super Bowl I (1960–1965)
‡Combined Super Bowl championships and AFL Championships won prior to Super Bowl I in 1967

Former Member Contributions

Even teams that were only temporarily part of the AFC West left their mark. This table summarizes the division titles and playoff appearances of former members during their tenure in the division.

Team Years in
division		 AFL/AFC West Division
Championships		 Playoff
Berths		 AFC Conference
Championships		 Super Bowl
Championships
Seattle Seahawks 1977–2001 2 5 0 0
Cincinnati Bengals 1968–1969 0 0 0 0
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1976 0 0 0 0

Season-by-Season Results

Delve into the detailed performance of each team within the AFC West for every season, observing their standings and playoff qualifications. This granular view highlights the ebb and flow of competitive balance within the division.

(#) Denotes team that won the Super Bowl
(#) Denotes team that won the AFC Championship
(#) Denotes team that won the AFL Championship
(#) Denotes team that qualified for the NFL Playoffs or AFL Playoffs
Season Team (record)
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
AFL Western
  • 1960: The AFL Western division formed with 4 members, the Dallas Texans, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, and Oakland Raiders.
1960 L.A. Chargers (10–4) Dal. Texans (8–6) Oakland (6–8) Denver (4–9–1)
  • 1961: The Los Angeles Chargers relocated to San Diego to become the San Diego Chargers.
1961 San Diego (12–2) Dal. Texans (6–8) Denver (3–11) Oakland (2–12)
1962 Dal. Texans (11–3) Denver (7–7) San Diego (4–10) Oakland (1–13)
  • 1963: The Dallas Texans relocated to Kansas City to become the Kansas City Chiefs.
1963 San Diego (11–3) Oakland (10–4) Kansas City (5–7–2) Denver (2–11–1)
1964 San Diego (8–5–1) Kansas City (7–7) Oakland (5–7–2) Denver (2–11–1)
1965 San Diego (9–2–3) Oakland (8–5–1) Kansas City (7–5–2) Denver (4–10)
1966 Kansas City (11–2–1) Oakland (8–5–1) San Diego (7–6–1) Denver (4–10)
1967 Oakland (13–1) Kansas City (9–5) San Diego (8–5–1) Denver (3–11)
  • 1968: The Cincinnati Bengals joined as an expansion team.
1968 Oakland (12–2) Kansas City (12–2) San Diego (9–5) Denver (5–9) Cincinnati (3–11)
1969 Oakland (12–1–1) Kansas City (11–3) San Diego (8–6) Denver (5–8–1) Cincinnati (4–9–1)
AFC West
  • 1970: The Cincinnati Bengals leave the division and join the newly formed AFC Central as part of the NFL's realignment resulting from the AFL-NFL merger.
1970 Oakland (8–4–2) Kansas City (7–5–2) San Diego (5–6–3) Denver (5–8–1)
1971 Kansas City (10–3–1) Oakland (8–4–2) San Diego (6–8) Denver (4–9–1)
1972 Oakland (10–3–1) Kansas City (8–6) Denver (5–9) San Diego (4–9–1)
1973 Oakland (9–4–1) Kansas City (7–5–2) Denver (7–5–2) San Diego (2–11–1)
1974 Oakland (12–2) Denver (7–6–1) Kansas City (5–9) San Diego (5–9)
1975 (2) Oakland (11–3) Denver (6–8) Kansas City (5–9) San Diego (2–12)
  • 1976: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined as an expansion team.
1976 (1) Oakland (13–1) Denver (9–5) San Diego (6–8) Kansas City (5–9) Tampa Bay (0–14)
  • 1977: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers leave for NFC Central, Seattle Seahawks are moved to AFC West.
1977 (1) Denver (12–2) (4) Oakland (11–3) San Diego (7–7) Seattle (5–9) Kansas City (2–12)
1978 (3) Denver (10–6) Oakland (9–7) Seattle (9–7) San Diego (9–7) Kansas City (4–12)
1979 (1) San Diego (12–4) (5) Denver (10–6) Seattle (9–7) Oakland (9–7) Kansas City (7–9)
1980 (1) San Diego (11–5) (4) Oakland (11–5) Kansas City (8–8) Denver (8–8) Seattle (4–12)
1981 (3) San Diego (10–6) Denver (10–6) Kansas City (9–7) Oakland (7–9) Seattle (6–10)
  • 1982: The Oakland Raiders relocated to Los Angeles to become the Los Angeles Raiders.
1982^ (1) L.A. Raiders (8–1) (5) San Diego (6–3) Seattle (4–5) Kansas City (3–6) Denver (2–7)
1983 (1) L.A. Raiders (12–4) (4) Seattle (9–7) (5) Denver (9–7) San Diego (6–10) Kansas City (6–10)
1984 (2) Denver (13–3) (4) Seattle (12–4) (5) L.A. Raiders (11–5) Kansas City (8–8) San Diego (7–9)
1985 (1) L.A. Raiders (12–4) Denver (11–5) Seattle (8–8) San Diego (8–8) Kansas City (6–10)
1986 (2) Denver (11–5) (5) Kansas City (10–6) Seattle (10–6) L.A. Raiders (8–8) San Diego (4–12)
1987 (1) Denver (10–4–1) (5) Seattle (9–6) San Diego (8–7) L.A. Raiders (5–10) Kansas City (4–11)
1988 (3) Seattle (9–7) Denver (8–8) L.A. Raiders (7–9) San Diego (6–10) Kansas City (4–11–1)
1989 (1) Denver (11–5) Kansas City (8–7–1) L.A. Raiders (8–8) Seattle (7–9) San Diego (6–10)
1990 (2) L.A. Raiders (12–4) (5) Kansas City (11–5) Seattle (9–7) San Diego (6–10) Denver (5–11)
1991 (2) Denver (12–4) (4) Kansas City (10–6) (5) L.A. Raiders (9–7) Seattle (7–9) San Diego (4–12)
1992 (3) San Diego (11–5) (6) Kansas City (10–6) Denver (8–8) L.A. Raiders (7–9) Seattle (2–14)
1993 (3) Kansas City (11–5) (4) L.A. Raiders (10–6) (5) Denver (9–7) San Diego (8–8) Seattle (6–10)
1994 (2) San Diego (11–5) (6) Kansas City (9–7) L.A. Raiders (9–7) Denver (7–9) Seattle (6–10)
  • 1995: The Los Angeles Raiders relocated back to Oakland after 13 seasons to become the Oakland Raiders.
1995 (1) Kansas City (13–3) (4) San Diego (9–7) Seattle (8–8) Denver (8–8) Oakland (8–8)
1996 (1) Denver (13–3) Kansas City (9–7) San Diego (8–8) Oakland (7–9) Seattle (7–9)
1997 (1) Kansas City (13–3) (4) Denver (12–4) Seattle (8–8) Oakland (4–12) San Diego (4–12)
1998 (1) Denver (14–2) Oakland (8–8) Seattle (8–8) Kansas City (7–9) San Diego (5–11)
1999 (3) Seattle (9–7) Kansas City (9–7) San Diego (8–8) Oakland (8–8) Denver (6–10)
2000 (2) Oakland (12–4) (5) Denver (11–5) Kansas City (7–9) Seattle (6–10) San Diego (1–15)
2001 (3) Oakland (10–6) Seattle (9–7) Denver (8–8) Kansas City (6–10) San Diego (5–11)
  • 2002: The AFC West was realigned for 4 members. The Seattle Seahawks left to join the NFC West.
2002 (1) Oakland (11–5) Denver (9–7) San Diego (8–8) Kansas City (8–8)
2003 (2) Kansas City (13–3) (6) Denver (10–6) Oakland (4–12) San Diego (4–12)
2004 (4) San Diego (12–4) (6) Denver (10–6) Kansas City (7–9) Oakland (5–11)
2005 (2) Denver (13–3) Kansas City (10–6) San Diego (9–7) Oakland (4–12)
2006 (1) San Diego (14–2) (6) Kansas City (9–7) Denver (9–7) Oakland (2–14)
2007 (3) San Diego (11–5) Denver (7–9) Kansas City (4–12) Oakland (4–12)
2008 (4) San Diego (8–8) Denver (8–8) Oakland (5–11) Kansas City (2–14)
2009 (2) San Diego (13–3) Denver (8–8) Oakland (5–11) Kansas City (4–12)
2010 (4) Kansas City (10–6) San Diego (9–7) Oakland (8–8) Denver (4–12)
2011 (4) Denver (8–8) San Diego (8–8) Oakland (8–8) Kansas City (7–9)
2012 (1) Denver (13–3) San Diego (7–9) Oakland (4–12) Kansas City (2–14)
2013 (1) Denver (13–3) (5) Kansas City (11–5) (6) San Diego (9–7) Oakland (4–12)
2014 (2) Denver (12–4) Kansas City (9–7) San Diego (9–7) Oakland (3–13)
2015 (1) Denver (12–4) (5) Kansas City (11–5) Oakland (7–9) San Diego (4–12)
2016 (2) Kansas City (12–4) (5) Oakland (12–4) Denver (9–7) San Diego (5–11)
  • 2017: The San Diego Chargers relocated back to Los Angeles after 56 seasons to become the Los Angeles Chargers.
2017 (4) Kansas City (10–6) L.A. Chargers (9–7) Oakland (6–10) Denver (5–11)
2018 (1) Kansas City (12–4) (5) L.A. Chargers (12–4) Denver (6–10) Oakland (4–12)
2019 (2) Kansas City (12–4) Denver (7–9) Oakland (7–9) L.A. Chargers (5–11)
  • 2020: The Oakland Raiders relocated to Las Vegas to become the Las Vegas Raiders.
2020 (1) Kansas City (14–2) Las Vegas (8–8) L.A. Chargers (7–9) Denver (5–11)
2021 (2) Kansas City (12–5) (5) Las Vegas (10–7) L.A. Chargers (9–8) Denver (7–10)
2022 (1) Kansas City (14–3) (5) L.A. Chargers (10–7) Las Vegas (6–11) Denver (5–12)
2023 (3) Kansas City (11–6) Las Vegas (8–9) Denver (8–9) L.A. Chargers (5–12)
2024 (1) Kansas City (15–2) (5) L.A. Chargers (11–6) (7) Denver (10–7) Las Vegas (4–13)

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References

References

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