The NFC West Division of the National Football League comprises four teams: San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and Arizona Cardinals. It’s a very competitive division with great rivalries among all four teams.
All four NFC West teams have made it to the Super Bowl. The SF 49ers made it seven times (1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1995, 2013, and 2020.). The LA Rams made it five times (1980, 2000, 2002, 2019, and 2022). The Seattle Seahawks have made it to the big game three times (2005, 2013, and 2014). And the Arizona Cardinals made it once (2008).
NFC West teams have won 8 Super Bowls. Five were won by the San Francisco 49ers, two by the Los Angles Rams, and one by the Seattle Seahawks. The Cardinals have not yet won a Super Bowl.
Since its beginning in 1967, the SF 49ers have won the most NFC West titles with 20 Championships. The Rams have won 14 NFC West titles. While the Seahawks have nine titles and the Cardinals have three.
NFC West Division FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about the NFC West Division.
How many teams are in the NFC West?
There are four teams in the NFC West Division.
What teams are in the NFC West?
There are four teams in the NFC West.
- San Francisco 49ers.
- Los Angeles Rams.
- Seattle Seahawks.
- Arizona Cardinals.
What does NFC West stand for?
NFC stands for National Football Conference. The West indicates the general regions of the teams in the conference compared to the North, South, and East.
Who won the NFC West in 2022?
The San Francisco 49ers won the NFC West title in 2022.
What NFC West team has the best all-time won/loss record?
The San Francisco 49ers top the list with the best won/loss record. The 49ers have 612 career victories.
- SF 49ers: 612-510-16
- LA Rams: 604-592-21
- Seattle Seahawks: 383-358-1
- Arizona Cardinals: 581-790-41
Who is the projected starting quarterback for each NFC West team?
The following QBs are projected to start the season:
- San Francisco 49ers: Brock Purdy. Last year the 49ers featured three different starters in Purdy, Trey Lance, and Jimmy Garoppolo (season-ending injury), but this year the coaching staff has focused on Purdy to be the starter.
- Los Angeles Rams: Matthew Stafford.
- Seattle Seahawks: Geno Smith.
- Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray.
See NFL Quarterbacks by the Numbers: Weight, Height, Hand Size.
Who is projected to win the NFC West in 2023/2024?
Most experts believe that the 2023 season will be much like the 2022 season, with the 49ers on top, the Seahawks in second, the Rams in third, and the Cardinals in fourth place. Behind a stellar defense and a strong running game, the 49ers are the team to beat.
San Francisco 49ers
With five Super Bowl wins and seven appearances, the San Francisco 49ers are NFL royalty.
Having featured star quarterbacks like Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Y.A. Tittle and perhaps the best receiver who ever played the game in Jerry Rice, the 49ers have had some significant star power.
The team seems poised to do some great things in 2023. But can they get consistent play out of their quarterback position?
San Francisco 49ers Snapshot
Stadium: Levi’s Stadium
Seating Capacity: 68,500
Head Coach: Kyle Shanahan
Owners: 49ers Enterprises – Co-Chairs Denise DeBartolo York and John York.
All-time Won/Loss Record (up through the 2022-season) 612-510-16
Year Established: 1946
Mascot: Sourdough Sam
Super Bowl Wins: Five — 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, and 1995
Biggest Rival: The Los Angeles Rams, followed by the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys.
The Face of the Franchise: Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and Deebo Samuel.
See How many games in an NFL season?
49ers Fun Facts
- The 49ers are named after the 100,000 people who flocked to the region searching for gold in 1849. The prospectors were dubbed “the 49ers”.
- Who passed and caught the famous play dubbed “The Catch”? Joe Montana threw a touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to Dwight Clark to beat the Cowboys in the 1982 NFC Championship Game.
- In 1999, what 49er did the Sporting News list as second behind Jim Brown on its list of “Football’s 100 Greatest Players”? Jerry Rice.
- What was Joe Montana’s nickname? The Comeback Kid. He led his team to 31 4th-quarter come-from-behind comebacks. Joe’s other nicknames included Joe Cool, Golden Joe, and Bird Legs.
- Hall of Fame 49er QB Steve Young is the great-great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, an early leader of the Mormon church.
- What 49er quarterback had a successful second career as a pro golfer on the Senior PGA Tour? Answer: John Brodie.
- Ronnie Lott had the tip of his pinky finger amputated so he wouldn’t miss the 1985 playoffs. How tough is that?
- What 49er coach is credited with creating the West Coast Offense? Answer: Bill Walsh.
See Football Field Dimensions.
Los Angeles Rams
With their distinctive horned helmets and rich football tradition, the LA Rams have been a force on the football field.
The Rams bet it all on the 2021/2022 season and came out with the Lombardi Trophy. But the 2022/2023 season was a tough one for the defending champs.
Can the Rams reverse their fortunes in 2023/2024? A tough first-half schedule might put them in a hole they can’t dig out of.
They’ll need to play considerably better than last year and hope for some breaks. All of the innovative head coach Sean McVay’s coaching powers will be put to the test.
Los Angeles Rams Snapshot
Stadium: SoFi Stadium
Seating Capacity: 70,240
Head Coach: Sean McVay
Owners: Stan Kroenke
All-time Won/Loss Record (up through the 2022-season) 604-592-21
Year Established: 1936
Mascot: Rampage
Super Bowl Wins: Two: 2000 and 2022.
Biggest Rival: San Francisco 49ers.
The Face of the Franchise: Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, Sean McVay, and Matthew Stanford.
Rams Fun Facts
Here are some fun facts about the Los Angeles Rams.
- The Rams were the first team to use logos on their helmets.
- The Rams’ nickname was chosen by GM Damon “Buzz” Wetzel, whose favorite football team at the time was the college squad, the Fordham Rams.
- What Ram running back set the NFL’s single-season rushing record with 2,105 years? Answer: Eric Dickerson.
- He is the only NFL player to score two safeties in one game but perhaps is better known for starring in the 1980s TV series Hunter. Who is he? Answer: Fred Dryer.
- What LA Ram made the Pro Bowl 14 times and also portrayed Jonathan Garvey on Little House on the Prairie? Answer: Merlin Olsen.
- What Ram’s defensive lineman is credited with coming up with the term “sack”? Answer: Deacon Jones.
- What Rams receiver’s father and grandfather both played in the NFL? Answer: Cooper Kupp’s. Cooper’s grandfather, Jake Kupp, played for the Cowboys, Redskins, Saints, and Falcons on the offensive line. His dad, Craig Kupp, played QB for the Giants, Cardinals, and Cowboys.
See How many Super Bowl rings does Tom Brady have?
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have a great football history, especially considering they didn’t start in the NFL until 1974. After a rocky start, the Seahawks found their groove and nearly won back-to-back Super Bowls in the 2014 and 2015 seasons (except for a Patriot’s interception at the goal line.)
Coming off a second-place finish in the NFC West last year, the Seahawks bolstered their team with a strong NFL draft and hope to make even a bigger impression in the years ahead. The pair of Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider seem to know what they’re doing.
Seattle Seahawks Snapshot
Stadium: Lumen Field
Seating Capacity: 68,740
Head Coach: Pete Carroll
Owners: Jody Allen
All-time Won/Loss Record (up through the 2022-season) 383-358-1
Year Established: 1974
Mascot: Blitz, a large bird, is the official mascot of the Seahawks.
Super Bowl Wins: One, in 2014, when they beat the Denver Broncos.
Biggest Rival: San Francisco 49ers.
The Face of the Franchise: Pete Carroll.
Seahawks Fun Facts
Here are some Seahawks’ fun facts.
- The Seahawks are the only NFL team with the same first three letters in their nickname as in their city name.
- The Seahawks call their fans “The 12th Man.” A football team fields 11 men at one time, so the 12th man recognizes the importance of fans. The Seahawks have retired the number 12 jersey.
- The three all-time TD-scoring leaders for the Seahawks are Shaun Alexander (112), Steve Largent (101), and Marshawn Lynch (66).
- Star Seahawk QB, now playing for the Denver Broncos, was inspired by words from his father. His father would say to him, “Why not you?” Wilson used the words for inspiration.
- Marshawn Lynch, aka “Beast Mode,” was known for his love of Skittles. After scoring touchdowns, Seattle fans would shower him with candy. Dating back to Pop Warner football, Lynch used to eat the candy before games and even during games to calm his stomach.
- Seahawks’ receiver DK Metcalf had some amazing stats at the NFL Combine. He lifted 225 pounds 27 times, had his vertical leap measured at 40.5 inches, and ran a 4.3-second 40-yeard dash. His body fat was 1.6%.
- The Seahawks are the only NFL team that has competed in both NFC and AFC Championship Games. This was due to some conference realignment by the NFL.
- At 5’10” tall, Russell Wilson was the shortest QB to have ever won the Super Bowl.
- The Seahawks also won two division titles in the AFC West.
Arizona Cardinals
Despite being one of the two oldest NFL franchises, the Cardinals haven’t enjoyed great success on the field.
The Cardinals’ fortunes in 2023 do not look great if you believe the Vegas bookies. The team has the longest odds of winning the Super Bowl (+20,000) in 2023. Their defense may be the worst in the league.
By most accounts, the Cardinals had an excellent draft, so there’s reason for hope in the Grand Canyon State.
Arizona Cardinals Snapshot
Stadium: State Farm Stadium
Seating Capacity: 63,400
Head Coach: Jonathan Gannon
Owners: Michael Bidwell
All-time Won/Loss Record (up through the 2022-season) 581-790-41
Year Established: 1898 – the oldest football club in the NFL.
Mascot: “Big Red,” a 6’4” cardinal with a 7-foot wingspan, is the mascot.
Super Bowl Wins: The Cardinals are still looking for their first Super Bowl win.
Biggest Rival: The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks are the Cardinals’ biggest rivals.
The Face of the Franchise: Kyler Murray.
Cardinals Fun Facts
Here are some fun facts about the Arizona Cardinals.
- The Cardinals have won only two NFL Championships since their founding in 1898.
- Cardinals Ernie Nevers scored all 40 points in a 1929 Thanksgiving Day game as the Cardinals beat the Chicago Bears. No one has beaten this record to this day.
- Michael Bidwell is the owner of the Cardinals. The Cardinals have been owned by the Bidwell family since 1932 when Charles W. Bidwell bought the Cardinals.
- The Cardinals were a Chicago team from 1898 to 1960 and then moved to St. Louis. They played in St. Louis for 28 years before moving to Arizona in 1987.
- The nickname Cardinals was derived from the red hue of the jerseys. The original owner, Chris O’Brien, described the red color as “Cardinal Red.”
- Jim Thorpe played for the Cardinals in 1928.
- Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald worked as a ball boy for the Minnesota Vikings. He retired as the Cardinals’ all-time leading receiver.
NFC East Final Thoughts
The San Francisco 49ers appear to be on the verge of greatness. They will challenge teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and Cincinnati Bengals for supremacy in the NFL.
For all four NFC West teams, as with all other teams in the league, the key will be great quarterback play. Can Brock Purdy lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl?
By Mike O’Halloran
Mike is a former contributing writer to USA Football, the youth arm of the NFL. He is the founder and editor of Sports Feel Good Stories.
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