View source for NFC South

{{short description|One of four divisions in the NFL's National Football Conference}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title           = NFC South
| sport           = [[American football]]
| league          = [[National Football League]]
| conference      = [[National Football Conference]]
| founded         = 2002
| teams           = 4
| country         = [[United States]]
| champion        = [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] (7th title)
| most_champs     = [[New Orleans Saints]]<br>[[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] (7 titles each)
}}
{{OSM Location map
| coord = {{coord|31.600|-85.466}}
| zoom = 5
| width = 300
| height = 300
| caption = NFC South Teams Location
| mark1 = Red pog.svg
| label1 = Buccaneers
| mark-coord1 = {{coord|27.97601|-82.50338}}
| label-pos1 = top
| label-color1 = black
| mark2 = Black pog.svg
| label2 = Falcons
| mark-coord2 = {{coord|33.75542|-84.40075}}
| label-pos2 = top
| label-color2 = black
| mark3 = Blue pog.svg
| label3 = Panthers
| mark-coord3 = {{coord|35.22583|-80.85285}}
| label-pos3 = top
| label-color3 = black
| mark4 = Gold pog.svg
| label4 = Saints
| mark-coord4 = {{coord|29.95115|-90.08109}}
| label-pos4 = top
| label-color4 = black
}}
The '''National Football Conference – Southern Division''' or '''NFC South''' is one of the four [[Division (sport)|division]]s of the [[National Football Conference]] (NFC) in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). It was created before the [[2002 NFL season]] when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams. The NFC South currently has four member clubs: the [[Atlanta Falcons]], [[Carolina Panthers]], [[New Orleans Saints]], and [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]].

Before the 2002 season, the Buccaneers belonged to the [[AFC West]] ({{nfly|1976}}) and [[NFC North|NFC Central]] ({{nfly|1977}}–{{nfly|2001}}) (with their four division rivals in the [[Upper Midwest]]), while the other three teams were part of the geographically inaccurate [[NFC West]].

The NFC South is one of two divisions to have each of its teams make a [[Super Bowl]] appearance since the 2002 realignment (along with the NFC West): Tampa Bay ([[2002 NFL season|2002]] and [[2020 NFL season|2020]]), Atlanta ([[2016 NFL season|2016]]), Carolina ([[2003 NFL season|2003]] and [[2015 NFL season|2015]]) and New Orleans ([[2009 NFL season|2009]]). Also since 2002, each team has won at least four division titles, making it the only division that holds that distinction. On January 3, 2021, the Saints became the first-ever team to sweep the NFC South in the regular season, they nevertheless lost to the Buccaneers (eventual Super Bowl champions) in the playoffs.

Entering [[2019 NFL season|2019]], the Saints have the most wins among division members. The Saints' record is 375–438–5; their win in [[Super Bowl XLIV]] is the highlight of a 10–12 playoff record. The Falcons' record is 365–461–6 with a playoff record of 10–14; the Falcons lost in Super Bowls [[Super Bowl XXXIII|XXXIII]] and [[Super Bowl LI|LI]]. The Buccaneers' record is 267–424–1 with a victory in both their Super Bowl appearances, [[Super Bowl XXXVII]] and [[Super Bowl LV]], and an overall playoff record of 10–9. The Panthers have the best playoff winning percentage (9–8) of any team in the division with losses in Super Bowls [[Super Bowl XXXVIII|XXXVIII]] and [[Super Bowl 50|50]], with a regular season record of 195–204–1.

The NFC South is the only NFC division not to have any of the twelve "old-line" franchises that predate the 1960 launch of the [[American Football League]], the NFL's former rival league. The oldest team is the Falcons, who began play in 1966, and the Saints began play only a year later in 1967. Each of the other NFC divisions has three clubs that began play earlier than 1960, while the remaining three such teams are in the [[American Football Conference]].

The NFC South became the second division in five years to have a champion with a losing record, as the [[2014 Carolina Panthers season|2014 Carolina Panthers]] won the division with a 7–8–1 record (The [[2010 Seattle Seahawks season|2010 Seattle Seahawks]] won the [[NFC West]] with a 7–9 record). Additionally, Carolina became the first team to repeat as NFC South champions since the creation of the division. The Panthers were the first team to win the NFC South three consecutive times, from 2013 to 2015; while the Saints were the first team to win the division four consecutive times from 2017 to 2020. On January 7, 2018, two NFC South teams (the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints) met in the NFL playoffs for the first time since the division's creation in 2002. Before then, they were the only division left in the NFL that had never had teams face off against each other in the postseason. In 2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers tied with the New Orleans Saints for the most division titles, with seven. They also tied with the Saints for most consecutive division titles, with four, and broke the division record of most consecutive playoff appearances, with five.

==Division lineups==

''' Place cursor over year for division champ or Super Bowl team.'''
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width=90%
|- 
! colspan="24" style="text-align:center; font-size:130%; background:#E1A95F; height:65px"| <span style="color:white;">NFC South Division</span>
|-
! colspan="24"| ''2000s''
|-
! style="background:#00ff00;"|''[[2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|02]]''
! style="background:#ffe87c;"|''[[2003 Carolina Panthers season|03]]''
! ''[[2004 Atlanta Falcons season|04]]''
! ''[[2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|05]]''
! ''[[2006 New Orleans Saints season|06]]''
! ''[[2007 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|07]]''
! ''[[2008 Carolina Panthers season|08]]''
! style="background:#00ff00;"|''[[2009 New Orleans Saints season|09]]''
! ''[[2010 Atlanta Falcons season|10]]''
! ''[[2011 New Orleans Saints season|11]]''
! ''[[2012 Atlanta Falcons season|12]]''
! ''[[2013 Carolina Panthers season|13]]''
! ''[[2014 Carolina Panthers season|14]]''
! style="background:#ffe87c;"|''[[2015 Carolina Panthers season|15]]''
! style="background:#ffe87c;"|''[[2016 Atlanta Falcons season|16]]''
! ''[[2017 New Orleans Saints season|17]]''
! ''[[2018 New Orleans Saints season|18]]''
! ''[[2019 New Orleans Saints season|19]]''
! style="background:#00ff00;"|''[[2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|20]]''
! ''[[2021 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|21]]''
! ''[[2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|22]]''
! ''[[2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|23]]''
! ''[[2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|24]]''
! ''25''

|-
| colspan="24" style="background:lightgrey; height:.5px;"|
|-
| colspan="24" | [[Atlanta Falcons]] 
|-
| colspan="24" | [[Carolina Panthers]]
|-
| colspan="24"| [[New Orleans Saints]]
|-
| colspan="24" | [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]
|-
| colspan="24" style="background:#fff; height:15px; font-size:75%;"| {{color box|#00ff00}} '''Division Won Super Bowl''' {{color box|#FFE87C}} '''Division Won NFC Championship'''
|}

==Division champions==
{| class="wikitable"
! Season !! Team !! Record !! Playoff Results
|-
| {{nfly|2002}} || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers|border=2|year=2002}}| '''[[2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|{{color|white|Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 12–4 ||style="background: #FFCCCC;" valign="top"| '''Won''' [[2002–03 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2002 San Francisco 49ers season|49ers]]) 31–6<br>'''Won''' [[2002–03 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|NFC Championship]] (at [[2002 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]]) 27–10<br>'''Won [[Super Bowl XXXVII]]''' (vs. [[2002 Oakland Raiders season|Raiders]]) 48–21
|-
| {{nfly|2003}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|border=2|year=2003}}| '''[[2003 Carolina Panthers season|{{color|#000000|Carolina Panthers (1)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 11–5 ||bgcolor="#DDFFDD"| '''Won''' [[2003–04 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2003 Dallas Cowboys season|Cowboys]]) 29–10<br>'''Won''' [[2003–04 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] (at [[2003 St. Louis Rams season|Rams]]) 29–23 <small>(2OT)</small><br>'''Won''' [[2003–04 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|NFC Championship]] (at [[2003 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]]) 14–3<br> Lost [[Super Bowl XXXVIII]] (vs. [[2003 New England Patriots season|Patriots]]) 29–32
|-
| {{nfly|2004}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2|year=2004}}| '''[[2004 Atlanta Falcons season|{{color|white|Atlanta Falcons (1)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 11–5 || '''Won''' [[2004–05 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2004 St. Louis Rams season|Rams]]) 47–17<br>Lost [[2004–05 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|NFC Championship]] (at [[2004 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]]) 10–27
|-
| {{nfly|2005}} || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers|border=2|year=2005}}| '''[[2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|{{color|white|Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 11–5 || Lost [[2005–06 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2005 Washington Redskins season|Redskins]]) 10–17
|-
| {{nfly|2006}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|border=2|year=2006}}| '''[[2006 New Orleans Saints season|{{color|#000000|New Orleans Saints (1)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 10–6 ||  '''Won''' [[2006-07 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2006 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]]) 27–24<br>Lost [[2006-07 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|NFC Championship]] (at [[2006 Chicago Bears season|Bears]]) 14–39
|-
| {{nfly|2007}} || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers|border=2|year=2007}}| '''[[2007 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|{{color|white|Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 9–7 || Lost [[2007-08 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2007 New York Giants season|Giants]]) 14–24
|-
| {{nfly|2008}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|border=2|year=2008}}| '''[[2008 Carolina Panthers season|{{color|#000000|Carolina Panthers (2)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 12–4 || Lost [[2008–09 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2008 Arizona Cardinals season|Cardinals]]) 13–33
|-
| {{nfly|2009}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|border=2|year=2009}}| '''[[2009 New Orleans Saints season|{{color|#000000|New Orleans Saints (2)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 13–3 ||style="background: #FFCCCC;" valign="top"| '''Won''' [[2009–10 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2009 Arizona Cardinals season|Cardinals]]) 45–14<br>'''Won''' [[2009–10 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|NFC Championship]] ([[2009 Minnesota Vikings season|Vikings]]) 31–28 {{small|(OT)}} <br>'''Won [[Super Bowl XLIV]]''' (vs. [[2009 Indianapolis Colts season|Colts]]) 31–17
|-
| {{nfly|2010}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2|year=2010}}| '''[[2010 Atlanta Falcons season|{{color|white|Atlanta Falcons (2)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 13–3 || Lost [[2010-11 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2010 Green Bay Packers season|Packers]]) 21–48
|-
| {{nfly|2011}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|border=2|year=2011}}| '''[[2011 New Orleans Saints season|{{color|#000000|New Orleans Saints (3)}}]]''' || align="center"| 13–3 || '''Won''' [[2011-12 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2011 Detroit Lions season|Lions]]) 45–28 <br>  Lost [[2011–12 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] (at [[2011 San Francisco 49ers season|49ers]]) 32–36
|-
| {{nfly|2012}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2|year=2012}}| '''[[2012 Atlanta Falcons season|{{color|white|Atlanta Falcons (3)}}]]''' || align="center"| 13–3 || '''Won''' [[2012-13 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2012 Seattle Seahawks season|Seahawks]]) 30–28<br>Lost [[2012-13 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|NFC Championship]] ([[2012 San Francisco 49ers season|49ers]]) 24–28
|-
| {{nfly|2013}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|border=2|year=2013}}| '''[[2013 Carolina Panthers season|{{color|#000000|Carolina Panthers (3)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 12–4 || Lost [[2013–14 NFL playoffs#Divisional Playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2013 San Francisco 49ers season|49ers]]) 10–23
|-
| {{nfly|2014}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|border=2|year=2014}}| '''[[2014 Carolina Panthers season|{{color|#000000|Carolina Panthers (4)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 7–8–1 || '''Won''' [[2014–15 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2014 Arizona Cardinals season|Cardinals]]) 27–16<br>Lost [[2014–15 NFL playoffs#Divisional Playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] (at [[2014 Seattle Seahawks season|Seahawks]]) 17–31
|-
| {{nfly|2015}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|border=2|year=2015}}| '''[[2015 Carolina Panthers season|{{color|#000000|Carolina Panthers (5)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 15–1 ||bgcolor="#DDFFDD"| '''Won''' [[2015–16 NFL playoffs#Divisional Playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2015 Seattle Seahawks season|Seahawks]]) 31–24<br>'''Won''' [[2015–16 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|NFC Championship]] ([[2015 Arizona Cardinals season|Cardinals]]) 49–15<br>Lost [[Super Bowl 50]] (vs. [[2015 Denver Broncos season|Broncos]]) 10–24
|-
| {{nfly|2016}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2|year=2016}}| '''[[2016 Atlanta Falcons season|{{color|white|Atlanta Falcons (4)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 11–5 ||bgcolor="#DDFFDD"| '''Won''' [[2016–17 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2016 Seattle Seahawks season|Seahawks]]) 36–20<br>'''Won''' [[2016–17 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|NFC Championship]] ([[2016 Green Bay Packers season|Packers]]) 44–21<br>Lost [[Super Bowl LI]] (vs. [[2016 New England Patriots season|Patriots]]) 28–34 {{small|(OT)}}
|-
| {{nfly|2017}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|border=2|year=2017}}| '''[[2017 New Orleans Saints season|{{color|#000000|New Orleans Saints (4)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 11–5 || '''Won''' [[2017–18 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2017 Carolina Panthers season|Panthers]]) 31–26<br>Lost [[2017–18 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] (at [[2017 Minnesota Vikings season|Vikings]]) 24–29
|-
| {{nfly|2018}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|border=2|year=2018}}| '''[[2018 New Orleans Saints season|{{color|#000000|New Orleans Saints (5)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 13–3 || '''Won''' [[2018–19 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2018 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]]) 20–14 <br />Lost [[2018–19 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|NFC Championship]] ([[2018 Los Angeles Rams season|Rams]]) 23–26 {{small|(OT)}}
|-
| {{nfly|2019}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|border=2|year=2019}}| '''[[2019 New Orleans Saints season|{{color|#000000|New Orleans Saints (6)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 13–3 || Lost [[2019–20 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2019 Minnesota Vikings season|Vikings]]) 20–26 {{small|(OT)}}
|-
| {{nfly|2020}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|border=2|year=2020}}| '''[[2020 New Orleans Saints season|{{color|#000000|New Orleans Saints (7)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 12–4 || '''Won''' [[2020–21 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2020 Chicago Bears season|Bears]]) 21–9 <br /> Lost [[2020–21 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Buccaneers]]) 20–30
|-
| {{nfly|2021}} || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers|border=2|year=2021}}| '''[[2021 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|{{color|white|Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 13–4 || '''Won''' [[2021–22 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2021 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]]) 31–15 <br/> Lost [[2021–22 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] ([[2021 Los Angeles Rams season|Rams]]) 27–30
|-
| {{nfly|2022}} || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers|border=2|year=2022}}" | '''[[2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|{{color|white|Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 8–9 || Lost [[2022–23 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2022 Dallas Cowboys season|Cowboys]]) 14–31
|-
| {{nfly|2023}} || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers|border=2|year=2022}}" | '''[[2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|{{color|white|Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 9–8 || '''Won''' [[2023–24 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2023 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]]) 32–9 <br/> Lost [[2023–24 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] (at [[2023 Detroit Lions season|Lions]]) 23–31
|-
| {{nfly|2024}} || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers|border=2|year=2022}}" | '''[[2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|{{color|white|Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7)}}]]''' ||align="center"| 10–7 || Lost [[2024–25 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] ([[2024 Washington Commanders season|Commanders]]) 20–23
|}

* * The [[2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] is the only NFC South division winner to have a losing record.

==Wild Card qualifiers==
{| class="wikitable"
! Season !! Team !! Record !! Playoff Results
|-
| {{nfly|2002}} || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2|year=2002}}| '''[[2002 Atlanta Falcons season|{{color|white|Atlanta Falcons}}]]''' ||align="center"| 9–6–1 || '''Won''' [[2002–03 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] (at [[2002 Green Bay Packers season|Packers]]) 27–7<br>Lost [[2002–03 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] (at [[2002 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]]) 6–20
|- 
| {{nfly|2005}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|border=2|year=2005}}| '''[[2005 Carolina Panthers season|{{color|#000000|Carolina Panthers}}]]''' ||align="center"| 11–5 || '''Won''' [[2005–06 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] (at [[2005 New York Giants season|Giants]]) 23–0<br>'''Won''' [[2005–06 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] (at [[2005 Chicago Bears season|Bears]]) 29–21<br>Lost [[2005–06 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|NFC Championship]] (at [[2005 Seattle Seahawks season|Seahawks]]) 14–34
|- 
| {{nfly|2008}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2|year=2008}}| '''[[2008 Atlanta Falcons season|{{color|white|Atlanta Falcons}}]]''' ||align="center"| 11–5 || Lost [[2008–09 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] (at [[2008 Arizona Cardinals season|Cardinals]]) 24–30
|- 
| {{nfly|2010}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|border=2|year=2010}}| '''[[2010 New Orleans Saints season|{{color|#000000|New Orleans Saints}}]]''' ||align="center"| 11–5 || Lost [[2010–11 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] (at [[2010 Seattle Seahawks season|Seahawks]]) 36–41
|-
| {{nfly|2011}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2|year=2011}}| '''[[2011 Atlanta Falcons season|{{color|white|Atlanta Falcons}}]]''' || align="center"| 10–6 || Lost [[2011–12 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] (at [[2011 New York Giants season|Giants]]) 2–24
|-
| {{nfly|2013}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|New Orleans Saints|border=2|year=2013}}| '''[[2013 New Orleans Saints season|{{color|#000000|New Orleans Saints}}]]''' ||align="center"| 11–5 || '''Won''' [[2013–14 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] (at [[2013 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]]) 26–24 <br> Lost [[2013–14 NFL playoffs#Divisional Playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] (at [[2013 Seattle Seahawks season|Seahawks]]) 15–23
|-
| rowspan="2"|{{nfly|2017}} || style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|border=2|year=2017}}| '''[[2017 Carolina Panthers season|{{color|#000000|Carolina Panthers}}]]''' ||align="center"| 11–5 || Lost [[2017–18 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] (at [[2017 New Orleans Saints season|Saints]]) 26–31
|-
| style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2|year=2017}}| '''[[2017 Atlanta Falcons season|{{color|white|Atlanta Falcons}}]]''' ||align="center"| 10–6 || '''Won''' [[2017–18 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] (at [[2017 Los Angeles Rams season|Rams]]) 26–13 <br> Lost [[2017–18 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] (at [[2017 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]]) 10–15
|-
| {{nfly|2020}} || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers|border=2|year=2020}}| '''[[2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|{{color|white|Tampa Bay Buccaneers}}]]''' ||align="center"| 11–5 ||bgcolor="#ffcccc"| '''Won''' [[2020–21 NFL playoffs#Wild Card playoffs|Wild Card playoffs]] (at [[2020 Washington Football Team season|Washington]]) 31–23 <br>'''Won''' [[2020–21 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|Divisional playoffs]] (at [[2020 New Orleans Saints season|Saints]]) 30–20 <br> '''Won''' [[2020–21 NFL playoffs#Conference Championships|NFC Championship]] (at [[2020 Green Bay Packers season|Packers]]) 31–26 <br> '''Won''' [[Super Bowl LV]] (vs. [[2020 Kansas City Chiefs season|Chiefs]]) 31–9
|}

==Total Playoff Berths as members of the NFC South==
(NFC South records since the division's creation in 2002)

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! Team !! Division <br> Titles !! Playoff<br> Berths !!NFC<br>Championships!![[Super Bowl]]<br> Championships 
|-
| [[List of Atlanta Falcons seasons|Atlanta Falcons]]  ||align="center"|{{sort|4|4}} ||align="center"| {{sort|3|8}} ||align="center"| 2|| align="center" |{{sort|4|0}}
|-
| [[List of Carolina Panthers seasons|Carolina Panthers]] ||align="center"|{{sort|3|5}} ||align="center"| {{sort|2|7}} || align="center"|{{sort|2|2}} ||align="center"|{{sort|3|0}}
|-
| [[List of New Orleans Saints seasons|New Orleans Saints]] ||align="center"|{{sort|1|7}} ||align="center"|{{sort|1|9}} || align="center"|{{sort|3|1}} ||align="center"| {{sort|2|1}}
|-
| [[List of Tampa Bay Buccaneers seasons|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] ||align="center"|{{sort|2|7}} ||align="center"|{{sort|4|8}} || align="center"|{{sort|1|2}} ||align="center"| {{sort|1|2}}
|-
|}

==Season results==
{| class="wikitable"
|bgcolor=#FFCC00 align=center width=10px| <sup>(#)</sup>
| Denotes team that won the [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl]]
|-
|bgcolor=#C0C0C0 align=center width=10px| <sup>(#)</sup>
| Denotes team that won the [[NFC Championship]]
|-
|bgcolor=#CCFFCC align=center width=10px| <sup>(#)</sup>
| Denotes team that qualified for the [[National Football League playoffs|NFL Playoffs]]
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
!rowspan="2" width=60px| Season ||colspan="4"| Team (record)
|-
!width=150px| 1st ||width=150px| 2nd ||width=150px| 3rd ||width=150px| 4th 
|-
|colspan="5"| 
*'''2002''': The NFC South was formed with four inaugural members. The [[Atlanta Falcons]], [[Carolina Panthers]], and [[New Orleans Saints]] joined from the [[NFC West]], while the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] joined from the [[NFC Central]], now known as the NFC North.
|-
| {{nfly|2002}}
| bgcolor=#FFCC00|<sup>(2)</sup> [[2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (12–4)
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(6)</sup> [[2002 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (9–6–1)
| [[2002 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (9–7)
| [[2002 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (7–9)
|-
| {{nfly|2003}}
| bgcolor=#C0C0C0|<sup>(3)</sup> [[2003 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (11–5)
| [[2003 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (8–8)
| [[2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (7–9)
| [[2003 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (5–11)
|-
| {{nfly|2004}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(2)</sup> [[2004 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (11–5)
| [[2004 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (8–8)
| [[2004 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (7–9)
| [[2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (5–11)
|-
| {{nfly|2005}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(3)</sup> [[2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (11–5)
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(5)</sup> [[2005 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (11–5)
| [[2005 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (8–8)
| [[2005 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (3–13)
|-
| {{nfly|2006}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(2)</sup> [[2006 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (10–6)
| [[2006 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (8–8)
| [[2006 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (7–9)
| [[2006 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (4–12)
|-
| {{nfly|2007}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(4)</sup> [[2007 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (9–7)
| [[2007 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (7–9)
| [[2007 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (7–9)
| [[2007 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (4–12)
|-
| {{nfly|2008}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(2)</sup> [[2008 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (12–4)
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(5)</sup> [[2008 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (11–5)
| [[2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (9–7)
| [[2008 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (8–8)
|-
| {{nfly|2009}}
| bgcolor=#FFCC00|<sup>(1)</sup> [[2009 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (13–3)
| [[2009 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (9–7)
| [[2009 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (8–8)
| [[2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (3–13)
|-
| {{nfly|2010}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(1)</sup> [[2010 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (13–3)
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(5)</sup> [[2010 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (11–5)
| [[2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (10–6)
| [[2010 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (2–14)
|-
| {{nfly|2011}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(3)</sup> [[2011 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (13–3)
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(5)</sup> [[2011 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (10–6)
| [[2011 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (6–10)
| [[2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (4–12)
|-
| {{nfly|2012}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(1)</sup> [[2012 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (13–3)
| [[2012 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (7–9)
| [[2012 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (7–9)
| [[2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (7–9)
|-
| {{nfly|2013}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(2)</sup> [[2013 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (12–4)
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(6)</sup> [[2013 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (11–5)
| [[2013 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (4–12)
| [[2013 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (4–12) 
|-
| {{nfly|2014}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(4)</sup> [[2014 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (7–8–1)
| [[2014 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (7–9)
| [[2014 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (6–10)
| [[2014 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (2–14)
|-
| {{nfly|2015}}
| bgcolor=#C0C0C0| <sup>(1)</sup> [[2015 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (15–1)
| [[2015 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (8–8)
| [[2015 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (7–9)
| [[2015 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (6–10)
|-
| {{nfly|2016}}
| bgcolor=#C0C0C0|<sup>(2)</sup> [[2016 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (11–5)
| [[2016 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (9–7)
| [[2016 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (7–9)
| [[2016 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (6–10)
|-
| {{nfly|2017}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(4)</sup> [[2017 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (11–5)
| bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |<sup>(5)</sup> [[2017 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (11–5)
| bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |<sup>(6)</sup> [[2017 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (10–6)
| [[2017 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (5–11)
|-
| {{nfly|2018}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(1)</sup> [[2018 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (13–3)
| [[2018 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (7–9)
| [[2018 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (7–9)
| [[2018 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (5–11)
|-
| {{nfly|2019}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(3)</sup> [[2019 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (13–3)
| [[2019 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (7–9)
| [[2019 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (7–9)
| [[2019 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (5–11)
|-
| {{nfly|2020}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(2)</sup> [[2020 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (12–4)
| bgcolor=#FFCC00|<sup>(5)</sup> [[2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (11–5)
| [[2020 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (5–11)
| [[2020 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (4–12)
|-
| {{nfly|2021}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(2)</sup> [[2021 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (13–4)
| [[2021 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (9–8)
| [[2021 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (7–10)
| [[2021 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (5–12)
|-
| {{nfly|2022}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(4)</sup> [[2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (8–9)
| [[2022 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (7–10)
| [[2022 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (7–10)
| [[2022 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (7–10)
|-
| {{nfly|2023}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(4)</sup> [[2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (9–8)
| [[2023 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (9–8)
| [[2023 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (7–10)
| [[2023 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (2–15)
|-
| {{nfly|2024}}
| bgcolor=#CCFFCC|<sup>(3)</sup> [[2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay]] (10–7)
| [[2024 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]] (8–9)
| [[2024 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] (5–12)
| [[2024 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] (5–12)
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Number of times each team has finished in each place 
!Placement at Season End
!Atlanta Falcons
!Carolina Panthers
!New Orleans Saints
!Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|-
|bgcolor=#CCFFCC| 1st
|bgcolor=#CCFFCC|4 (2016)
|bgcolor=#CCFFCC|5 (2015)
|bgcolor=#CCFFCC|7 (2020)
|bgcolor=#CCFFCC|7 (2024)*
|-
|2nd
|8 (2024)*
|6 (2022)
|7 (2023)
|2 (2020)
|-
|bgcolor=#CCFFCC| 3rd
|bgcolor=#CCFFCC|7 (2023)
|bgcolor=#CCFFCC|6 (2024)*
|bgcolor=#CCFFCC|6 (2022)
|bgcolor=#CCFFCC|4 (2019)
|-
|4th
|4 (2022)
|6 (2023)
|3 (2024)*
|10 (2018)
|}

Asterisk (*) Denotes Current Year

==Schedule rotation==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2" rowspan=2 style=background:lightblue |Year
!colspan="3" style=background:lightblue |Opponents
|-
!style=background:lightblue |Interconf.
!style=background:lightblue |Intraconf.
!style=background:lightblue |17th game  
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
        |'''2019'''
        |'''2031'''
	|AFC South
	|NFC West
    |AFC East
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
        |'''2020'''
        |'''2032'''
	|AFC West
	|NFC North
    |AFC North
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
        |'''2021'''
        |'''2033'''
	|AFC East
	|NFC East
    |AFC South
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
        |'''2022'''
        |'''2034'''
	|AFC North
	|NFC West
    |AFC West
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
        |'''2023'''
        |'''2035'''
	|AFC South
	|NFC North
    |AFC East
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
        |'''2024'''
        |'''2036'''
	|AFC West
	|NFC East
    |AFC North
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
        |'''2025'''
        |'''2037'''
	|AFC East
	|NFC West
    |AFC South
|- style="background:#efefef;"
        |'''2026'''
        |'''2038'''
	|AFC North
	|NFC North
    |AFC West
|- style="background:#efefef;"
        |'''2027'''
        |'''2039'''
	|AFC South
	|NFC East
    |AFC East
|- style="background:#efefef;"
        |'''2028'''
        |'''2040'''
        |AFC West
        |NFC West
        |AFC North
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
        |'''2029'''
        |'''2041'''
	|AFC East
	|NFC North
    |AFC South
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
        |'''2030'''
        |'''2042'''
	|AFC North
	|NFC East
    |AFC West
|}

==Postseason oddities and facts==
* From 2003 to 2009, the team that placed last in the division the previous year would improve enough to reach the playoffs, usually by winning the division. Tampa Bay almost continued this trend in 2010, stopped only by losing a strength of victory tiebreaker to Green Bay.
** Carolina finished last in 2002 (7–9) and finished first in 2003 (11–5).
** Atlanta finished last in 2003 (5–11) and finished first in 2004 (11–5).
** Tampa Bay finished last in 2004 (5–11) and finished first in 2005 (11–5).
** New Orleans finished last in 2005 (3–13) and finished first in 2006 (10–6).
** Tampa Bay finished last in 2006 (4–12) and finished first in 2007 (9–7).
** Atlanta finished last in 2007 (4–12) and finished second with a wild-card berth in 2008 (11–5).
** New Orleans finished last in 2008 (8–8) and finished first in 2009 (13–3).
** Tampa Bay finished last in 2009 (3–13) but despite finishing third in 2010 with a 10–6 record, did not make the playoffs, due to [[2010 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay]] holding the wild-card strength of victory tiebreaker.
** Carolina finished last in 2010 (2–14) and was eliminated from playoff contention in Week 14 of the 2011 season after going 4–9, becoming the first NFC South team to have a losing season after placing last in the division.
* From 2002 to 2009, no team in the NFC South earned back-to-back playoff appearances. In Week 16 of the 2010 season, New Orleans clinched a wild-card berth, becoming the first NFC South team to earn consecutive playoff appearances. New Orleans earned three consecutive playoff appearances in the 2009, 2010, and 2011 seasons and four in a row from 2017 to 2020. Atlanta also earned three consecutive playoff appearances, in 2010, 2011, and 2012, and Carolina in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Tampa Bay made it three consecutive years of playing in the post-season in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
* Each team has won the division at least four times and made a playoff appearance at least five times since the division's formation.
* Each team has finished last in the division at least twice since the division's formation. Before 2012, no team has finished last in the division in consecutive seasons. Tampa Bay became the first team in the division to place last in the division in consecutive seasons.
* From 2002 to 2011, there was an outright last-place finisher in the division (i.e.: tiebreakers were not necessary to determine who finished last). That streak came to an end during the 2012 season when Carolina, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay all finished at 7–9. This happened again in 2013 when both Atlanta and Tampa Bay finished 4–12.
* In 2014, Carolina became the first team to defend the NFC South title. No other team in the division has managed to do so until New Orleans defeated Tampa Bay on December 9, 2018, and clinched the division for the second straight season. [[2014 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina]] also became the second team in NFL history to win its division and advance to the playoffs with a losing record (7–8–1). The first team to accomplish this is the [[2010 Seattle Seahawks season|2010 Seahawks]], who won the [[NFC West]] with a 7–9 record and beat New Orleans in a Wild Card game.
* With Atlanta winning the [[2016–17 NFL playoffs#NFC Championship Game: Atlanta Falcons 44, Green Bay Packers 21|2016–17 NFC Championship]], the NFC South became the first division since the [[2002 NFL season#Expansion and realignment|2002 realignment]] to have all four of its teams represent the [[National Football Conference|NFC]] in the [[Super Bowl]]. (Tampa Bay [[Super Bowl XXXVII|2002]] and [[Super Bowl LV|2020]], Carolina [[Super Bowl XXXVIII|2003]] and [[Super Bowl 50|2015]], New Orleans [[Super Bowl XLIV|2009]], Atlanta [[Super Bowl LI|2016]]).<ref>{{cite web | title=NFC South Remains NFL's Most Competitive Division | website=Buccaneers Home | date=2018-01-11 | url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/nfc-south-remains-nfl-s-most-competitive-division-20238671 | access-date=2025-06-22}}</ref>
* In the 2017 NFL season, three of the NFC South's teams (Atlanta, New Orleans, and Carolina) qualified for the playoffs. This was also the first time that two NFC South teams met in the playoffs, as New Orleans hosted and defeated Carolina in the Wild Card playoffs.
* In 2020, the New Orleans Saints became the first team to sweep the entire division in the regular season and win 4 consecutive division titles. In the playoffs, they would then lose to the eventual [[Super Bowl LV|Super Bowl champions]], the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl LV – Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – February 7th, 2021 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202102070tam.htm |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
* In 2022, the [[2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] became the fourth team in NFL history to win its division and advance to the playoffs with a losing record (8–9). The 2010 Seahawks, 2014 Panthers, and 2020 Washington Football Team previously accomplished this feat.
* In 2024, the [[2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] tied with the New Orleans Saints for the most division titles (7) and most consecutive division titles (4). The Buccaneers also broke the record for most consecutive playoff appearances, with 5.

==See also==
*[[Buccaneers–Falcons rivalry]]
*[[Buccaneers–Panthers rivalry]]
*[[Buccaneers–Saints rivalry]]
*[[Falcons–Panthers rivalry]]
*[[Falcons–Saints rivalry]]
*[[Panthers–Saints rivalry]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{NFL}}
{{Atlanta Falcons}}
{{Carolina Panthers}}
{{New Orleans Saints}}
{{Tampa Bay Buccaneers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nfc South}}
[[Category:NFL divisions]]
[[Category:Atlanta Falcons]]
[[Category:Carolina Panthers]]
[[Category:New Orleans Saints]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]
[[Category:2002 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Sports in the Southern United States]]