1996 NFL Season — Final Standings
Final regular-season standings, the first season of the Baltimore Ravens (the relocated original Cleveland Browns franchise; no Cleveland Browns team existed this year — the expansion Browns didn't return until 1999). Carolina Panthers, in just their second season, won the NFC West over an identical 12-4 San Francisco on tiebreaker, a remarkably fast expansion-team ascent. The New York Jets finished 1-15, one of the worst records of the decade. This was also the Houston Oilers' final season in Houston before relocating to Tennessee.
AFC East
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | NEPNew England Patriots | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | - |
| 4 | BBBuffalo Bills | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1 |
| 6 | ICIndianapolis Colts | 9 | 7 | 0 | .562 | 2 |
| — | MDMiami Dolphins | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3 |
| — | NYJNew York Jets | 1 | 15 | 0 | .062 | 10 |
AFC Central
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | PSPittsburgh Steelers | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | - |
| 5 | JJJacksonville Jaguars | 9 | 7 | 0 | .562 | 1 |
| — | CBCincinnati Bengals | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2 |
| — | HOHouston Oilers | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2 |
| — | BRBaltimore Ravens | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 6 |
AFC West
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DBDenver Broncos | 13 | 3 | 0 | .812 | - |
| — | KCCKansas City Chiefs | 9 | 7 | 0 | .562 | 4 |
| — | SDCSan Diego Chargers | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 5 |
| — | OROakland Raiders | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 6 |
| — | SSSeattle Seahawks | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 6 |
NFC East
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | DCDallas Cowboys | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | - |
| 5 | PEPhiladelphia Eagles | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | - |
| — | WRWashington Redskins | 9 | 7 | 0 | .562 | 1 |
| — | ACArizona Cardinals | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3 |
| — | NYGNew York Giants | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 4 |
NFC Central
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GBPGreen Bay Packers | 13 | 3 | 0 | .812 | - |
| 6 | MVMinnesota Vikings | 9 | 7 | 0 | .562 | 4 |
| — | CBChicago Bears | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 6 |
| — | TBBTampa Bay Buccaneers | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 7 |
| — | DLDetroit Lions | 5 | 11 | 0 | .312 | 8 |
NFC West
| Seed | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | CPCarolina Panthers | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | - |
| 4 | SF4San Francisco 49ers | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | - |
| — | SLRSt. Louis Rams | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 6 |
| — | AFAtlanta Falcons | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 9 |
| — | NOSNew Orleans Saints | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 9 |
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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