The NFC champion is not necessarily the team with the best record in the regular season. Rather, the champion is decided by theNFC Championship Game as part of the post-season playoffs involving the teams with the best regular season records. TheDallas Cowboys won the first two NFC championships, in1970 and1971.[1] No team has won more than two consecutive NFC championships. The Cowboys won two consecutive NFC championships three times (1970–1971, 1977–1978, 1992–1993). TheMinnesota Vikings (1973–1974),Washington Redskins (1982–1983),San Francisco 49ers (1988–1989),Green Bay Packers (1996–1997), andSeattle Seahawks (2013–2014) have also won two consecutive NFC championships.[1]
Through the2024 season, the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers have won more NFC championships than any other team, with eight. ThePhiladelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins,New York Giants, andLos Angeles/St. Louis Rams have each won five NFC championships. The Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, and Seattle Seahawks have won three apiece.[1] The San Francisco 49ers have also been the NFC runner up, as a result of losing the NFC Championship Game, a record 11 times.[2] The Rams, Cowboys and Packers have each been the runner up six times.[3][4][5]
TheSuper Bowl is played annually between theAFC champion and the NFC champion. The first four Super Bowls were played prior to theAFL–NFL merger between the AFL and NFL champion. The 1970 NFC champion Dallas Cowboys lost the first Super Bowl played after the merger, but the 1971 Cowboys were the first NFC team to win the Super Bowl. The NFC had a streak in which its champion won 13 consecutive Super Bowls, from the 1984 NFC champion San Francisco 49ers through the 1996 NFC champion Green Bay Packers. Overall, the NFC champion has won 27 of the 54 Super Bowls played since the formation of the NFC with the AFL–NFL merger through the end of the 2023 season.[1]
Each year is linked to an article about that particularNFL season.
Team
Name ofNFC Championship team, linked to the team's championship season
Record
Championship team's regular season record wins–losses; if the team played any tie games the record is shown as wins–losses–ties
Head Coach
Championship team'shead coach; if the team had multiple head coaches for the season they are shown in decreasing order of number of regular season wins
Quarterback
Name of quarterback with mostpassing attempts for the team during the regular season
Leading Rusher
Name of player with mostrushing yards for the team during the regular season
Leading Receiver
Name of player with mostreceiving yards for the team during the regular season
aPat Haden was the Los Angeles Rams' starting quarterback for most of the 1979 season. After he broke a finger late in the seasonVince Ferragamo replaced him at quarterback for the last three regular season games, and was also the quarterback for the NFC Championship game andSuper Bowl XIV.[25][72][73][74]
bJay Schroeder was the Washington Redskins starting quarterback for most of the 1987 season. ButDoug Williams replaced him several times during the season and was the Redskins quarterback for the NFC Championship game andSuper Bowl XXII.[33][75][76][77]
cPhil Simms was the starting quarterback for the 1990 New York Giants until suffering a leg injury late in the season. As a result,Jeff Hostetler was the Giants starting quarterback for the last two regular season games and for the postseason, including the NFC Championship game andSuper Bowl XXV.[15][36][78][79]
dColin Kaepernick andAlex Smith both finished the 2012 season with 218 attempts. Smith started the first nine games of the season before suffering a concussion. Kaepernick took over as starter the following week and remained the starter when Smith was cleared to play the week after that. Kaepernick was the 49ers starting quarterback for the final seven regular season games and the postseason, including the NFC Championship Game. He also started inSuper Bowl XLVII.
eCarson Wentz was the starting quarterback for the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles until suffering an injury late in the season. As a result,Nick Foles was the Eagles' starting quarterback for the last three regular season games and for the postseason, including the NFC Championship game. He also startedSuper Bowl LII.[80]
^ab"1990 NFC Championship".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. RetrievedNovember 24, 2008.
^"1970 Dallas Cowboys season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^"1971 Dallas Cowboys season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 23, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^"1975 Dallas Cowboys season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 24, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^"1977 Dallas Cowboys season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^"1978 Dallas Cowboys season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^"1985 Chicago Bears season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 9, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^"1986 New York Giants season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 18, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^"1992 Dallas Cowboys season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 21, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^"1993 Dallas Cowboys season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 21, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^"1995 Dallas Cowboys season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^"2006 Chicago Bears season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 23, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^"2007 New York Giants season".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. RetrievedNovember 23, 2008.
^Neft, D., Cohen, R. & Korch, R. (1995).The Sports Encyclopedia Pro Football (13th ed.). St. Martin's Griffin. pp. 355,370–373.ISBN0-312-13186-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"1979 NFC Championship Game".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 31, 2008. RetrievedNovember 24, 2008.
^"Super Bowl XIV".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 28, 2008. RetrievedNovember 24, 2008.
^Neft, D., Cohen, R. & Korch, R. (1995).The Sports Encyclopedia Pro Football (13th ed.). St. Martin's Griffin. pp. 538,562–565.ISBN0-312-13186-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"1987 NFC Championship Game".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on January 4, 2009. RetrievedNovember 24, 2008.
^"Super Bowl XXII".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 24, 2008. RetrievedNovember 24, 2008.
^Neft, D., Cohen, R. & Korch, R. (1995).The Sports Encyclopedia Pro Football (13th ed.). St. Martin's Griffin. pp. 606,625–627.ISBN0-312-13186-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Super Bowl XXV".Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC.Archived from the original on December 10, 2008. RetrievedNovember 24, 2008.
