Coming into 2023, few divisions in the NFL looked as deep as the AFC North. The Bengals were coming off back-to-back AFC championship appearances; the Ravens appeared loaded with talent on both sides of the ball; the Browns had an elite defense and a full season of Deshaun Watson; and the Steelers looked improved with Kenny Pickett and are always in the mix with Mike Tomlin.
The division didn't exactly play out the way many expected. Joe Burrow and Watson missed much of the season due to injuries, and Pickett wound up hurt down the stretch, costing him the final five games. Still, it's safe to say the division lived up to the hype.
The Steelers and Bengals each picked up wins in Week 18 against the Ravens and Browns, respectively, both of whom were resting their starters having already clinched playoff berths. The win for Pittsburgh was piece No. 1 in sending the Steelers to an improbable playoff berth. The win for Cincinnati pushed the Bengals a game over .500 for the third straight season.
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The AFC North not only exceeded expectations in 2023, but it also reached a couple of historic marks.
AFC North standings
| Rank | Team | Overall | Division |
| 1. | Ravens | 13-4 | 3-3 |
| 2. | Browns | 11-6 | 3-3 |
| 3. | Steelers | 10-7 | 5-1 |
| 4. | Bengals | 9-8 | 1-5 |
Every team in the AFC North finished with a winning record, and all but the Bengals made the playoffs. Both make this a historic campaign for the division, at least in the Super Bowl era.
Not since 1935 has a single division featured only teams with a winning record. In 1935, there were two divisions: the East and West. The West saw the Lions (7-3-2), Packers (8-4), Bears (6-4-2), and Cardinals (6-4-2) all finish at least two games above .500.
The 2023 season also saw the AFC North become just the 11th division to send three teams to the playoffs. No division has done it more often than the AFC North, which has now accomplished the feat four times.
| Division | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2006 NFC East | Eagles (10-6) | Cowboys (9-7) | Giants (8-8) |
| 2007 NFC East | Cowboys (13-3) | Giants (10-6) | Redskins (9-7) |
| 2007 AFC South | Colts (13-3) | Jaguars (11-5) | Titans (10-6) |
| 2011 AFC North | Ravens (12-4) | Steelers (12-4) | Bengals (9-7) |
| 2013 AFC West | Broncos (13-3) | Chiefs (11-5) | Chargers (9-7) |
| 2014 AFC North | Steelers (11-5) | Bengals (10-5-1) | Ravens (10-6) |
| 2017 NFC South | Saints (11-5) | Panthers (11-5) | Falcons (10-6) |
| 2020 AFC North | Steelers (12-4) | Ravens (11-5) | Browns (11-5) |
| 2021 NFC West | Rams (12-5) | Cardinals (11-6) | 49ers (10-7) |
| 2022 NFC East | Eagles (14-3) | Cowboys (12-5) | Giants (9-7-1) |
| 2023 AFC North | Ravens (13-4) | Browns (11-6) | Steelers (10-7) |
The AFC North dominance shouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon either. Burrow and Watson will be back healthy in 2024, Lamar Jackson is locked in as Baltimore's QB for the foreseeable future, and Tomlin has shown the Steelers will always be competitive no matter who's under center.
