27 Days Until Training Camp: 27 Championship Examples

In the NFL, it doesn't take long for good to become bad and bad to become good. Just check out the reversals of fortune over the last decade.

Keisean Nixon celebrates his kickoff-return touchdown vs. the Vikings, (Photo by Dan Powers/USA Today Sports Images)

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In Aaron Rodgers’ final season as the team’s starting quarterback, the Green Bay Packers went 8-9 and fell short of the playoffs.

With 27 days until the first practice of training camp, what gives the Packers true hope that they can rebound right into the postseason as NFC North champions with Jordan Love?

The NFL is that reason.

Over the last 10 seasons, 27 teams have gone from out of the playoffs to winning their division championship. That includes two teams in 2022: the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North and Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South.

There’s been at least one team each of the last 18 seasons, including the Packers in 2007 and 2019. In fact, there’s been at least two teams in 19 of the last 20 seasons.

With a potential-packed offense and a potentially strong defense, why not the Packers in 2023? The NFC North seems ripe for the picking, with the Vikings winning the division last year on the strength of what might be an impossible-to-replicate 11 wins in one-score games.

“Winning the division is always the standard,” Packers left guard Elgton Jenkins told NFL Network’s Good Morning Football recently. “Three NFC North titles [to open his career], it's always the standard in our locker room and in our building. We feel like we're the best team in our division, and we're going to go out there every week wherever and show that we are the best team in the division and the best team in the NFC.”

Chumps To Division Champs

Here are the 27 teams that went from out of the playoffs in one season to a division championship in the next over the past 10 years. The asterisk marks worst-to-first teams; the Packers didn’t finish last in 2022 but it shows just how quickly teams can go from pretenders to contenders in the NFL.

2022 Minnesota, Jacksonville*

2021: Cincinnati*, Dallas

2020: Pittsburgh, Washington*

2019: Green Bay, San Francisco

2018: Baltimore, Chicago*, Dallas, Houston*

2017: Jacksonville*, L.A. Rams, New Orleans, Minnesota, Philadelphia*

2016: Atlanta, Dallas*

2015: Houston, Minnesota, Washington*

2014: Dallas, Pittsburgh

2013: Carolina*, Philadelphia*

2012: Washington*

Countdown to Packers Training Camp

Our Biggest Question series as we get you ready for #Packers training camp continues with the inside linebackers. That question is a rather obvious one.https://t.co/s8EDigQeuX

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) June 29, 2023

27 days until training camp: Big question at inside linebacker

28 days until training camp: Big question at outside linebacker

28 days until training camp: At least they’re consistent

29 days until training camp: Big question at defensive line

29 days: Keisean Nixon’s surprise stardom

30 days until training camp: Big question at offensive line

30 days until training camp: 30th in key defensive stat

31 days until training camp: Big question at tight end

31 days until training camp: A killer No. 31 ranking

32 days until training camp: Big question at receiver

32 days until training camp: 32nd-ranked receivers

33 days until training camp: Big question at running back

33 days until training camp: No. 33, Aaron Jones, is a great player

34 days until training camp: Big question at quarterback

34 days until training camp: Plus-34 in turnovers