There is a saying in football that tells you all you need to know about the NFL: “On any given Sunday.” And no division embodies that phrase better than the NFC East.
Every year, the division’s standings flip and the rivalries deepen. As a Commanders fan, watching the tumultuous rollercoaster that is an NFL season has taught me what it means to follow this division.
First and foremost, it is unpredictable. In every division — especially in the NFC East — teams often “trade games,” meaning they go back and forth on who beats the other. The games essentially cancel out and leave the division standings to depend on outside-division opponents.
Last season, the Eagles beat the Commanders 26-18 in Week 11. Four games later, the Commanders edged out the Eagles 36-33. When it came down to the NFC Championship — with a ticket to the Super Bowl on the line — Philly came out on top in a 55-23 statement win over Washington.
Not only does this trading of successes show how evenly balanced the NFC East is, but the fact that two NFC East teams played each other in the championship truly shows the dominance in this division.
Since the beginning of the Super Bowl in 1967, the NFC East stands as the most decorated division in the NFL with 23 NFC Championships and 14 Super Bowl wins — more than any other division.
While Philly has dominated since 2018 — with three Super Bowl appearances and two wins since then— it actually sits below its rivals in terms of winningest franchises. The Cowboys hold five rings, the Giants have four, the Commanders follow with three and the Eagles round it out with two.
While these teams have had overall success, parity defines the division. The rivalry amongst the four teams is apparent every game, week and season. In fact, the competition is so tight the NFC East has not had a repeat division winner since the Eagles went back-to-back from 2001 to 2004.
This sets the NFC East apart. There aren’t dynasties here. You won’t find stretches similar to those of Brady and the Patriots or Mahomes and the Chiefs. Every year, it’s a different story.
And that riles up the fans. The Eagles may have some of the most animated fans in the league with their relentless — albeit annoying — enthusiasm for their team. And it isn’t just them — it’s the whole division. Commanders fans like myself have been in devoted agony for the past 20-some years but still show up every season, committed.
And it’s not just the fans of these teams that are dialed in — the NFC East boasts some of the most viewed games in the entire NFL.
Of the top-10 most watched NFL games in history, NFC East matchups fill five of those slots and two of the five remaining top-10 most watched games feature at least one NFC East team, as of the 2024-25 season. The NFL’s overall most-watched ever remains the Cowboys vs. Giants Thanksgiving Day matchup, in 2022 that raked in 42.1 million American viewers.
Furthermore, New York, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth and Washington D.C. all sit in the top eight media markets in the United States for the 2025-2026 TV season, so they get the most eyeballs and bring in the most money.
While the internal deep-rooted rivalries between these teams and their fan bases brings heavy pressure, the amount of national attention that invites a magnifying glass to every controversy or mistake in this division also raises the stakes.
Can the Eagles win the division and go back-to-back for the first time in over 20 years and win the Super Bowl again? Is Jayden Daniels having his sophomore slump? Are the Cowboys actual contenders? Have the Giants found a future franchise QB in Jaxson Dart?
The NFC East’s mix of historical success, national attention and constant unpredictability is what distinguishes them as the league’s most competitive division. While other divisions rely on dynasties and fourth place teams returning each year, the NFC East consistently produces seasons where each team truly has a chance.
Beyond being the most competitive division in the league, the NFC East represents what the NFL wants to have: overwhelmingly dedicated and loyal fan bases, a revolving door of competition, fascinating storylines and what they might care most about — lots and lots of money.
Every aspect of the NFC East represents the phrase, “Any Given Sunday,” and explains why they are the most competitive division the NFL has to offer.