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The 2025 NFL season represents a do-or-die moment for several franchises. After years of regular season success but playoff disappointments, a handful of teams have reached the point where excuses won’t cut it anymore.
It’s championship-or-bust time.
Regular season wins are nice, but deep playoff runs are what separate contenders from pretenders. And some fan bases are getting restless.
Making a playoff run isn’t easy – injuries happen, you run into hot teams at the wrong time, and sometimes luck just isn’t on your side. Just ask the Dallas Cowboys, who’ve been chasing playoff glory since Jimmy Johnson roamed the sidelines. For three decades, America’s Team has been desperate to return to the Super Bowl stage.
But they’re not alone. Here are five teams that absolutely must make serious playoff noise in 2025:
Baltimore Ravens
No team faces higher expectations than Baltimore. Lamar Jackson has two MVP trophies on his shelf but just one conference championship appearance to show for it. Until he reaches a Super Bowl, there will always be whispers about his playoff performances.
He’s not exactly being disrespected, but that missing piece keeps his legacy incomplete.
The Ravens have consistently fallen short in January despite Jackson transforming the franchise. This year feels different though – they’ve built a complete roster around their superstar QB.
Derrick Henry is back to punish defenses, and they’ve added DeAndre Hopkins to bolster the passing attack. That’s a scary combination.
Defensively, they’re loaded with young playmakers like Malaki Starks and Kyle Hamilton. The Chiefs and Bills will challenge them in the AFC, but the Ravens can no longer accept being third-best.
It’s Super Bowl or bust in Baltimore.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have gone all-in by adding Aaron Rodgers alongside defensive star T.J. Watt. Simply reaching the playoffs won’t be enough – if they’re not playing in the AFC Championship Game at minimum, this offseason was a waste.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game in nearly a decade and hasn’t reached a Super Bowl since 2010.
Mike Tomlin keeps avoiding losing seasons (an impressive streak), but playoff success has been elusive. Last year’s Russell Wilson experiment was supposed to change that narrative. Instead, they collapsed with five straight losses to end the season, including an embarrassing first-round exit against Baltimore.
Bringing in Rodgers signals they’re in win-now mode. The Steelers join the Cowboys and Ravens in the “championship-starved organization” club.
San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan’s seat is getting warmer.
He’s got his quarterback in Brock Purdy and a roster loaded with talent. The excuses have run out. The 49ers have faced Kansas City in two Super Bowls since 2019 and lost both times – a third failure would be devastating.
The NFC looks wide open this year. While Philadelphia enters as favorites, San Francisco remains a legitimate contender. They missed the playoffs entirely last season, making a deep run even more crucial in 2025.
If Shanahan can’t string together multiple playoff wins this year, his job security might finally be in jeopardy. He’s had plenty of chances to capture that elusive championship.
Green Bay Packers
Before Wednesday, the Packers might’ve gotten a pass with just one playoff victory. Then they landed Micah Parsons.
Now anything less than a Super Bowl appearance will bring accusations of underachievement.
Jordan Love was already facing immense pressure to lead a playoff charge. The Packers have reached the postseason in both years since he became the starter, but expectations have skyrocketed. The Parsons trade is a clear statement: this team is built for January success.
The defense has been transformed overnight. The time to win is now.
Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen finds himself in a similar position to Lamar Jackson. He claimed his first MVP award last season – an incredible achievement that feels incomplete without a Super Bowl appearance.
The Bills have repeatedly fallen short against Kansas City in the playoffs during the Allen era. The Chiefs have dominated the AFC for three straight seasons and show no signs of slowing down.
Buffalo must find a way to overcome their playoff nemesis – and taking down Lamar Jackson’s Ravens along the way would make it even sweeter. Allen has reached individual greatness, but the championship piece is missing.
The Bills haven’t won a title since before the merger and endured the heartbreak of four consecutive Super Bowl losses in the early 1990s.
If anyone can end Buffalo’s championship drought, it’s Allen. And 2025 feels like their moment. Last year’s playoff disappointment can’t be repeated – Bills Mafia won’t tolerate another close call.
