The American Football Conference – Southern Division or AFC South is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created before the 2002 season when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams. Since its creation, the division has had the same four members: the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans.
Johnie Earl Cooks was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Cooks was selected by the Baltimore Colts as the second overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft. He played from 1982 to 1991 for the Colts, New York Giants, and Cleveland Browns. He was a member of the Giants when they defeated the Buffalo Bills 20–19 in Super Bowl XXV. Cooks played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
Albert Timothy Bentley is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) and the United States Football League (USFL). Bentley began his professional career in the USFL with the Michigan Panthers and Oakland Invaders from 1984 to 1985. After the USFL folded, he played for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers from 1985 to 1992. Bentley played college football for the Miami Hurricanes.
William T. Brooks Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Brooks was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft. He played in the NFL from 1986 to 1996 for the Colts, Buffalo Bills, and Washington Redskins. Brooks played college football for Boston University.
The 1991 Indianapolis Colts season was the 39th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL) and eighth in Indianapolis. The team was looking to improve on the 7–9 record they had recorded in 1990. Instead, the Colts put together a campaign that ranked as one of the worst in NFL history.
The 2014 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 62nd season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 31st in Indianapolis. It also marked the third season under head coach Chuck Pagano, general manager Ryan Grigson, and quarterback Andrew Luck.
The 2016 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 64th season in the National Football League and the 33rd in Indianapolis. The Colts matched their 8–8 record from 2015, but would miss the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1997–1998. This season would also see the Colts get swept by the Houston Texans for the first time in franchise history. As a result, the Colts fired general manager Ryan Grigson after five seasons with the team. However, head coach Chuck Pagano would return the next year.
The 2017 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 65th season in the National Football League, the 34th in Indianapolis and the tenth playing their home game at Lucas Oil Stadium. It was also the sixth and final season under head coach Chuck Pagano, who was fired at the end of the season. It was also the first under new general manager Chris Ballard, the former Kansas City Chiefs' Director of Football Operations, following the dismissal of Ryan Grigson. The Colts were looking to improve on their 8–8 record from last year and make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. However, star quarterback Andrew Luck suffered a shoulder injury before the regular season began, was placed on the injured reserve list, and missed the remainder of the season that paralleled the 2011 season, when then-starting quarterback Peyton Manning sat out the entire season to undergo neck surgeries and coincidentally, the Colts lost at least 12 games.
The 2018 season was the Indianapolis Colts' 66th in the National Football League and their 35th in Indianapolis. It was also their first season under head coach Frank Reich and second under the leadership of general manager Chris Ballard. Despite a 1–5 start, the Colts managed to improve on their 4–12 campaign from the year prior with a 38–10 victory over the Tennessee Titans, and a 5-game winning streak. On Week 16, the Colts achieved their first winning season since 2014 with a 28–27 win against the New York Giants. The next week, they beat the Tennessee Titans in a win or go home match-up to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and became the third team in NFL history to qualify for the playoffs after a 1–5 start and first since the 2015 Chiefs.
The 2020 season was the Indianapolis Colts' 68th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 37th in Indianapolis. It was also their third season under head coach Frank Reich and fourth under the leadership of general manager Chris Ballard. Long-time San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers signed a one-year contract worth $25 million on March 17, 2020, to take over as the team's starting quarterback, reuniting him with Frank Reich, who served as quarterbacks coach for the Chargers during the 2013 season.
The 2021 season was the Indianapolis Colts' 69th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 38th in Indianapolis. It was their fourth season under head coach Frank Reich and fifth under the leadership of general manager Chris Ballard. Despite having 7 Pro Bowlers and 5 AP All-Pros, the Colts failed to improve upon their 11–5 record from the previous season, after a Week 12 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Colts were eliminated from the postseason in the final week of the season after a stunning loss to the 2–14 Jacksonville Jaguars and the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Baltimore Ravens the same day.
The 2022 season was the Indianapolis Colts' 70th in the National Football League (NFL), their 39th in Indianapolis, their sixth under the leadership of general manager Chris Ballard and their fifth and final season under head coach Frank Reich.
The 2024 season will be the Cincinnati Bengals' upcoming 55th season in the National Football League, their 57th overall and their sixth under head coach Zac Taylor. They will attempt to improve on their 9–8 record from last year and make the playoffs after a one-year absence.
The 2024 season will be the Tennessee Titans' upcoming 55th season in the National Football League, their 65th overall, their 28th in the state of Tennessee, their second under the leadership of general manager Ran Carthon and their first under head coach Brian Callahan. They will attempt to improve on their 6–11 record from last year, make the playoffs after a 2-year absence, and end their 2-year AFC South title drought. Long time running back Derrick Henry left the team in the offseason and joined the Baltimore Ravens.
The 2024 season will be the Las Vegas Raiders' upcoming 55th season in the National Football League, their 65th overall, their fifth in Las Vegas and their first full season under head coach Antonio Pierce and their first with general manager Tom Telesco. They will attempt to improve on their 8–9 record from last year, make the playoffs after a two-year absence, and end their 21-year AFC West title drought.
The 2024 season will be the Los Angeles Chargers' upcoming 55th season in the National Football League, their 65th overall, their ninth in the Greater Los Angeles Area, and their first under head coach Jim Harbaugh and new general manager Joe Hortiz. They will play their home games at SoFi Stadium. They will attempt to improve on their 5–12 record from 2023, make the playoffs after a one-year absence, and end their 14-year AFC West title drought.
The 2024 season will be the Atlanta Falcons' upcoming 59th in the National Football League, their eighth playing their home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, their fourth under the general manager Terry Fontenot and their first under head coach Raheem Morris. They will attempt to improve on their 7–10 record from the previous three years, make the playoffs after a 6-year absence, and end their 7-year NFC South title drought.
The 2024 season will be the Arizona Cardinals' upcoming 105th season in the National Football League, their 37th in Arizona and their second under the head coach/general manager tandem of Jonathan Gannon and Monti Ossenfort. They will attempt to improve on their 4–13 record from the previous 2 seasons, make the playoffs after a 2-year absence, and end their 8-year NFC West title drought.
The 2024 season will be the Seattle Seahawks' upcoming 49th in the National Football League (NFL), their 15th under general manager John Schneider and their first under head coach Mike Macdonald. They will attempt to improve on their 9–8 record from the previous two seasons, make the playoffs after a one-year absence, and end their three-year NFC West title drought. This is their first season since 2009 that Pete Carroll will not be head coach of the team, as he was reassigned to an advisor role in the offseason.
