The Cleveland Browns finished with a 5-12 record in 2025 during the NFL season. Cleveland has finished in last place in the AFC North for the last two seasons. It was a surprise when the Browns fired Kevin Stefanski as head coach, but they decided to keep Andrew Berry as general manager. They hired former Baltimore Ravens offense coordinator Todd Monken as head coach.
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Feb 12, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Cleveland Browns player Myles Garrett wears a jacket with a photo of Chloe Kim of the United States at the women’s halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
However, Cleveland wasn’t able to keep Jim Schwartz around as defensive coordinator. Myles Garrett was the defensive player of the year this season. That is a major miss for them. However, the Browns have not won the AFC North divisional title since 1989. Is there any chance Cleveland can finally achieve this during the 2026 NFL season or no?
PFF Thinks the Cleveland Browns Could Have a Chance To Win AFC North Next Season With Uncertainty In the Division
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Feb 12, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Cleveland Browns player Myles Garrett in attendance at the women’s halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Profootballfocus.com writer Zoltan Buday wrote about the eight teams who finished in last place during the 2025 NFL season. Cleveland is one of most polarizing last place teams to talk about in the NFL. He thinks that the Browns are ranked fifth of the eight teams who finished in last place, who could potentially move up to first next season in the AFC North.
Buday said,
“Volatility reins in the AFC North, whichcouldopen the door for the Browns to win the division for the first time since 1989. The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers will each have new head coaches for the first time in more than 15 years, while the Cincinnati Bengals fielded one of the league’s worst defenses in 2025 and could also lose edge defender Trey Hendrickson to free agency.
Admittedly, Cleveland struggled mightily on offense last season, pairing one of the league’s weakest offensive lines and receiving corps with inconsistent quarterback play. However, the Browns still boast a strong defense anchored by arguably the best defensive player in football, Myles Garrett. They also have promising young building blocks across the roster, including linebacker Carson Schwesinger, interior defender Mason Graham, tight end Harold Fannin and running back Quinshon Judkins — all drafted last year.
If those young players continue to develop and the Browns can find even modest offensive stability under new head coach Todd Monken, Cleveland could find itself in the mix. And in a division with this much uncertainty, that might be enough to rise to the top.”
Well, a lot of people will pick either the Cincinnati Bengals or the Baltimore Ravens to win the AFC North next season before they would pick Cleveland. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC North last season, but they are going major changes as well. This will be the most unpredictable division for the 2026 NFL season. It would be a shock to see the Browns win the division title next season, unless quarterback Shedeur Sanders takes his game to the next level and the defense stays elite here.
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