Here’s a fun challenge— integrate the 8 largest US markets who are without the NFL into the league using 8 x 5 or 4 x 10. Those markets are:

Orlando, Sacramento, Raleigh, St Louis, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Antonio

Here’s my napkin scribble divisions:

AFC East: NE, BUF, NYJ, MIA, JAX
AFC North: BAL, PIT, CLE, CIN, IND
AFC South: TEN, HOU, SA*, KC, DEN
AFC West: SD*, POR*, SAC*, LAC, LV

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, DAL, NO
NFC North: DET, CHI, GB, MIN, STL*
NFC South: CAR, ATL, TB, ORL*, RAL*
NFC West: SEA, ARZ, SF, LAR, SLC*

As 10 x 4, I think I’d just add SD, SAC, SLC, & POR as a division to the AFC and add RAL, ORL, SA, & STL as a division to the NFC. (Effectively the AFC has 2 West Divisions and and the NFC has 2 South divisions)

AFC East: NE, BUF, NYJ, IND
AFC North: BAL, PIT, CLE, CIN
AFC Central: KC, DEN, HOU, LV
AFC South: TEN, RAL*, JAX, MIA
AFC West: SD*, POR*, SAC*, LAC

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, DAL
NFC North: DET, CHI, GB, MIN
NFC: Central: STL*, SA*, SLC*, NO
NFC South: CAR, ATL, TB, ORL*
NFC West: SEA, ARZ, SF, LAR

(08-25-2026 09:24 AM)chargeradio Wrote:  AFC East: NE, BUF, NYJ, IND
AFC North: BAL, PIT, CLE, CIN
AFC Central: KC, DEN, HOU, LV
AFC South: TEN, RAL*, JAX, MIA
AFC West: SD*, POR*, SAC*, LAC

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, DAL
NFC North: DET, CHI, GB, MIN
NFC: Central: STL*, SA*, SLC*, NO
NFC South: CAR, ATL, TB, ORL*
NFC West: SEA, ARZ, SF, LAR

I’m curious why you swapped the Colts and Dolphins. Miami has been with the Jets, Bills, and Patriots since they were founded—I don’t think they’d be interested in a division move simply to be with the Jaguars. Other than that, it’s pretty solid.

(08-25-2026 03:52 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I’m curious why you swapped the Colts and Dolphins. Miami has been with the Jets, Bills, and Patriots since they were founded—I don’t think they’d be interested in a division move simply to be with the Jaguars. Other than that, it’s pretty solid.

I wanted an actual south division, in the AFC. The AFC Central already spans three time zones, I didn't want it to go to four with the Colts.

I actually wanted to have Tampa Bay and Orlando in separate conferences since the TV contracts are still generally by conference, but that would have reuqired moving Jacksonville or Miami to the AFC. I also reluctantly broke up the Saints/Falcons rivalry, but there would be no way I am putting Orlando or Atlanta in a division with Salt Lake City.

With an 18-game schedule, 5 divisions of 4 works out really well. Play all 4 opponents from 2 of the other 4 divisions on your conference, and 1 division from the other conference.

Adding: Orlando, Portland, Raleigh, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, St. Louis

Orlando: NFC to balance the Florida presence
Raleigh: AFC to balance the North Carolina presence
Sacramento: AFC to balance the Northern California presence
San Antonio: AFC at the request of Jerry
San Diego: AFC to align with history (Chargers)
St. Louis: NFC to align with history (Cardinals, Rams)
Portland, Salt Lake City: NFC.

Geographical Names: City names except San Antonio will be "Texas" and Salt Lake City will be "Utah."

I like maintaining 4 divisions per conference.
- 8 division games
- 5 intraconference games vs 1 entire division
- 5 interconference games vs 1 entire division

I tried to align historically as much as makes sense since the American/National alignment is an historical model but geography won in some ways.

AFC
East: Baltimore, Buffalo, New England, New York, Raleigh
North: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Pittsburgh
South: Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Tennessee, Texas
West: Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego

NFC
East: Arizona, Dallas, New York, Philadelphia, Washington
North: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, St. Louis
South: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Orlando, Tampa Bay
West: Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Utah

Changes:

AFC East: drops Miami, adds Baltimore and Raleigh
AFC North: drops Baltimore, adds Indianapolis and Kansas City
AFC South: drops Indianapolis, adds Miami and Texas
AFC West: drops Kansas City, adds Sacramento and San Diego
NFC East: adds Arizona
NFC North: adds St. Louis
NFC South: adds Orlando
NFC West: drops Arizona, adds Portland and Utah

(08-24-2026 05:15 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Here’s a fun challenge— integrate the 8 largest US markets who are without the NFL into the league using 8 x 5 or 4 x 10. Those markets are:

Orlando, Sacramento, Raleigh, St Louis, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Antonio

Here’s my napkin scribble divisions:

AFC East: NE, BUF, NYJ, MIA, JAX
AFC North: BAL, PIT, CLE, CIN, IND
AFC South: TEN, HOU, SA*, KC, DEN
AFC West: SD*, POR*, SAC*, LAC, LV

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, DAL, NO
NFC North: DET, CHI, GB, MIN, STL*
NFC South: CAR, ATL, TB, ORL*, RAL*
NFC West: SEA, ARZ, SF, LAR, SLC*

My "traditional" alignment would be the same as yours except New Orleans stays in the NFC South and Raleigh joins the NFC East, and Portland is in the NFC West while Salt Lake City is in the AFC West.

My preferred (geographic) alignment:

AFC East: BAL, CAR, PIT, RAL*, WAS
AFC North: BUF, NE, NYG, NYJ, PHI
AFC South: ATL, JAX, MIA, ORL*, TB
AFC West: CIN, CLE, DET, IND, TEN

NFC East: DAL, DEN, HOU, NO, SA*
NFC North: CHI, GB, KC, MIN, STL*
NFC South: LAC, LAR, SAC*, SD*, SF
NFC West: ARI, LV, POR*, SLC*, SEA

Dallas even gets to stay in the NFC East.

(08-26-2026 02:38 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(08-24-2026 05:15 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Here’s a fun challenge— integrate the 8 largest US markets who are without the NFL into the league using 8 x 5 or 4 x 10. Those markets are:

Orlando, Sacramento, Raleigh, St Louis, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Antonio

Here’s my napkin scribble divisions:

AFC East: NE, BUF, NYJ, MIA, JAX
AFC North: BAL, PIT, CLE, CIN, IND
AFC South: TEN, HOU, SA*, KC, DEN
AFC West: SD*, POR*, SAC*, LAC, LV

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, DAL, NO
NFC North: DET, CHI, GB, MIN, STL*
NFC South: CAR, ATL, TB, ORL*, RAL*
NFC West: SEA, ARZ, SF, LAR, SLC*

My "traditional" alignment would be the same as yours except New Orleans stays in the NFC South and Raleigh joins the NFC East, and Portland is in the NFC West while Salt Lake City is in the AFC West.

My preferred (geographic) alignment:

AFC East: BAL, CAR, PIT, RAL*, WAS
AFC North: BUF, NE, NYG, NYJ, PHI
AFC South: ATL, JAX, MIA, ORL*, TB
AFC West: CIN, CLE, DET, IND, TEN

NFC East: DAL, DEN, HOU, NO, SA*
NFC North: CHI, GB, KC, MIN, STL*
NFC South: LAC, LAR, SAC*, SD*, SF
NFC West: ARI, LV, POR*, SLC*, SEA

Dallas even gets to stay in the NFC East.

I actually originally had RAL and NO swapped but the opportunity for a RAL vs CAR rivalry was too good to pass up—it also puts that division in 3 contiguous states. As for NO, I think they’d like to have DAL as a rivalry—I believe they frequently ask the league to let them play the Cowboys in the preseason. I also imagine NYG, PHI, and WAS fans would enjoy road trips to party in the Big Easy.

(08-26-2026 06:00 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I actually originally had RAL and NO swapped but the opportunity for a RAL vs CAR rivalry was too good to pass up—it also puts that division in 3 contiguous states. As for NO, I think they’d like to have DAL as a rivalry—I believe they frequently ask the league to let them play the Cowboys in the preseason. I also imagine NYG, PHI, and WAS fans would enjoy road trips to party in the Big Easy.

OK, I'd put Dallas and Raleigh in the NFC South and Tampa Bay and Orlando in the NFC East.

AFC East: BUF, JAX, MIA, NE, NYJ
AFC North: BAL, CIN, CLE, IND, PIT
AFC South: DEN, HOU, KC, SA*, TEN
AFC West: LV, LAC, SAC*/POR*, SLC*, SD*

NFC East: NYG, ORL*, PHI, TB, WAS
NFC North: CHI, DET, GB, MIN, STL*
NFC South: ATL, CAR, DAL, NO, RAL*
NFC West: ARI, LAR, POR*/SAC*, SF, SEA

Portland and Sacramento are actually interchangeable between the AFC West and NFC West. You get a Northern California regional rivalry or a Pacific Northwest regional rivalry.

Although to put fewer expansion teams in the AFC West, you could perhaps move Seattle back and place Portland and San Diego there, while Sacramento and Salt Lake go to the NFC West.

I will take simple approach and. Not move any existing teams

AFC East: NE, BUF, NYJ, MIA, Ral*
AFC North: BAL, PIT, CLE, CIN, SA*
AFC South: TEN, HOU, Jax, Ind,, Sac*
AFC West: LAC, LV, KC, Den, SD*

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, DAL, STL*
NFC North: DET, CHI, GB, MIN, SLC*
NFC South: CAR, ATL, TB, NO, ORL*
NFC West: SEA, ARZ, SF, LAR, Por*

Here's my attempt, but with a twist:

AFC North: BAL, CIN, CLE, PIT, HAR*
AFC East: BUF, MIA, NE, NYJ, RAL*
AFC South: HOU, IND, JAX, TEN, SLC*
AFC West: DEN, KC, LV, SD*, SAC*

NFC North: CHI, DET, GB, MIN, STL*
NFC East: DAL, NYG, PHI, WAS, ORL*
NFC South: ATL, CAR, NO, TB, SA*
NFC West: ARI, LAR, SF, SEA, POR*

I made one switch that still incorporates all the markets mentioned, but also added another. To me, the Chargers are a San Diego team. Yes, their inaugural season was in LA, but every year since then until 2017, they were synonymous with San Diego. So as a result, I moved them back to San Diego, & I added what I think was the next largest US Market, Hartford-New Haven. The Chargers remain where they've always been in the AFC West, & then I added every team to the division that made the most sense to me without having two teams in the same state in the same division (minus Buffalo & New York, but the Jets are in NJ, so...), & balancing them across conferences. Hence:

Raleigh joins the AFC East, sort of bridging the gap for the Dolphins
Orlando joins the NFC East, which feels like a nice rounding with Washington & Philadelphia
Saint Louis joins the NFC North, which fits with some of their other sports rivalries
Hartford joins the AFC North, which is basically by default, but they do feel like a good fit with Baltimore & Pittsburgh
San Antonio joins the NFC South, which feels like a good fit with New Orleans, Atlanta, & Tampa
Salt Lake City joins the AFC South, basically by default as the closest to that division's footprint, though I don't hate the match with Houston & Indy
Finally, Portland with Seattle in the NFC West & Sacramento with San Diego in the AFC West felt like good fits

Well if you look at metro population, Austin is #25 and Columbus #32, both ahead of Raleigh and Salt Lake City.

Riverside is #12, but I presume you are including them as part of LA.

You've also got San Jose 36, Norfolk-Virginia Beach 37 and Providence 39 before you get to Raleigh. SLC is #46 behind another 5 metros.

(09-03-2026 01:51 PM)bullet Wrote:  Well if you look at metro population, Austin is #25 and Columbus #32, both ahead of Raleigh and Salt Lake City.

Riverside is #12, but I presume you are including them as part of LA.

You've also got San Jose 36, Norfolk-Virginia Beach 37 and Providence 39 before you get to Raleigh. SLC is #46 behind another 5 metros.

With broadcast revenue being the NFL’s biggest source of revenue, they are much more focused on media markets than metro size so that was the most relevant statistic to base this on