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Every NFC Team’s Past, Current, and Potential Championship Windows In the 21st Century

This piece shows the window for each NFC team in the last 20+ years and what each teams’ current window is (if applicable) or could be (if things materialized).

The starting point, duration, and ending point of a team’s championship window is usually determined by the key catalyst (a head coach, quarterback, collection of elite players, and or a combination of those groups). Usually, a window is 4-6 years but some team’s windows can be as short as 3 seasons. Reasons for that can come from the key stars aging out, the quarterback play deteriorating to the point where the team isn’t able to be competitive moving forward, or a head coach/coordinator leaving with their scheme that their good (but not great) players benefited from. Some windows can continue even if a few key players leave as long as there is viable replacement.

In some instances, a team can enter a season with them and everyone else knowing their window has closed. In other instances, the expectations of the group can be high with the same core but then the season simply ends badly with the realization that this group is done and changes will be made. As a result, that season was the last year of the window. In instances, a window can be as high as 7 or even 8 but those are in unique cases where the team has a franchise quarterback in his prime with teammates that were also in their prime and kept around.

Generally speaking, a window tends to end when a group of important players leave without that many direct replacements. As a result, the identity and structure is changed. Usually a season or two in-between windows are known as transition years because that is when some players and coaches leave while a new group comes in to eventually form a core for the next window. Some end up just having a long rebuilding process of not having a championship team for many years. An iteration of a playoff team could be formed but they fail to sustain success for more than 2 years within a 3-4 year period, thus preventing a true window from being formed. The following shows the windows for each team.

The best accomplishment for each window will be stated such as a team winning the Super Bowl, the number of conference title appearances, or it simply being that they made the playoffs. if a team has a strong feat such as making the Super Bowl or conference title game, then it usually won’t be stated that they made the playoffs multiple times since it isn’t their greatest feat.

NFC East

New York Giants

  • 2000-2003
    • The team made the playoffs in 1997 which was Jim Fassel’s first year. However, they were mediocre as they went 8-8 and 7-9 before Sean Payton came in 2000.
    • This is the coach Jim Fassel-Sean Payton (offensive coordinator) window. Sean Payton became the offensive coordinator in 2000. Jim Fassel was the head coach.
    • Kerry Collins was the primary quarterback in this window. His only good seasons as a Giants quarterback were when Sean Payton was offensive coordinator (2000-2002). The team made the playoffs in 2000 and 2002. In 2000, they made the Super Bowl. His two bad seasons were the seasons before and after Payton was the offensive coordinator (1999 and 2003).
    • Key players included Ron Stone (draft 1996), linebacker Jessie Armstead (drafted in 1993), Michael Strahan (drafted in 1993), Tiki Barber (drafted in 1997), and Amani Toomer (drafted in 1996). Jeremy Shockey was drafted in 2002.
    • Armstead and Stone left after 2001.
    • Sean Payton left after 2002. The team then had a 4-12 season in 2003. Fassel lost his job and Collins was replaced. The window basically ended. In retrospect, it was probably when Sean Payton left.
    • A lot of key players for their next two windows ended being drafted in 2003.
  • 2005-2008
    • This is the first Eli Manning-Tom Coughlin (coach) window. It had Tiki Barber (left after 2006), Amani Toomer (left after 2008), Shockey (left after 2007), Strahan (left after 2007), Osi Umenyiora (drafted in 2003), Antonio Pierce (2005-2009), Justin Tuck (drafted in 2005), Plaxico Burress (drafted in 2005), Brandin Jacobs (drafted in 2005), Chris Snee (drafted 2004), Shaun O’Hara (2004-2010), and David Diehl (drafted 2003).  
    • The team won the Super Bowl in 2007.
    • A lot of aforementioned players that left in the mid to late 2010s (as shown in the parenthesis) contributed to this window ending by 2009 and the 2009 season being a transition year. The team was 8-8 in 2009.
    • Plexico Burress was suspended in 2009 and no longer on the team past 2008 which contributed to the transition.
  • 2010-2012
    • This is the second Eli Manning-Tom Coughlin window. This group had Umenyiora, Tuck, Jacobs, Antrel Rolle (came in 2010), Victor Cruz (drafted in 2010), Jason Pierre-Paul (drafted in 2010), Ahmad Bradshaw (drafted in 2007),
    • Jacobs left after 2011. Bradshaw and Umenyiora left after 2012. Snee, Tuck, and Diehl left after 2013. Snee was even the primary starter in 2013. Rolle left after 2014. All of these moves contributed to 2013 and 2014 being transition years and the window basically closing after 2012.
    • The team won the Super Bowl in 2011.
    • 2016 was a playoff season but the team ended up being bad in 2017 and let a lot key players go, preventing any real window from being formed.
  • We will see if a new window has formed starting from 2022. It will be based on whether the team can have a core that can have success from 2023 and 2024. If it is a window then it would be the coach Brian Dabol window. He became the coach in 2022 and the team made the playoffs that year. The key players would include 2018 draft pick Saquan Barkley (at least for the next year), Daniel Jones (drafted in 2019), Adoree’ Jackson (signed in 2021), Dexter Lawrence (drafted in 2019), and Andrew Thomas (drafted 2020). In order to make this window strong they will need important contribution from players such as Kayvon Thibodeaux (drafted in 2022), Azeez Ojulari (drafted in 2021), 2023 free agent signing Darren Waller, 2023 draft picks Deonte Banks and 2023 Jalin Hyatt.

Dallas Cowboys

  • The Cowboys had a playoff team in 2003 under Bill Parcels but it never became a window as the team was before then and then was bad the year after. Roster changes were made following the 2003-2005 seasons such as guard Larry Allen (drafted in 1994) and defensive tackle La’Roi Glover (signed in 2002) leaving after 2005.
  • 2006-2010
    • This is the Tony Romo window. He was undrafted in 2003 but became the primary starter midway through 2006. The team improved once he took over for Drew Bledsoe, who was the starter earlier in 2006 and the previous season.
    • Bill Parcels was the coach until the end of 2006. Afterwards, Wade Philips took over.
    • Some key players include Demarcus Ware, Chris Canty, Jay Ratliff, and Marcus Spears. All four were drafted in 2005. Other key players included Jason Witten (drafted in 2003) who was in his prime during these years. Tackle Flozel Adams (drafted in 1998), Marc Colombo (drafted in 2010), Terrance Newman (drafted in 2003), linemen Leonard Davis (signed in 2007), center Andre Gurode (drafted in 2002), Marion Barber (drafted in 2005), safety Roy Williams (drafted in 2002), and Anthony Spencer (drafted in 2007).
    • The team got Terrell Owens in 2007 to bolster the group. Felix Jones also joined in 2008.
    • The team made the playoffs multiple times during this run.
    • Owens, Williams and Canty left after 2008.
    • The offensive started to rebuild late in this run and in the transition years of 2011-2012. It started with Adams leaving after 2009. Gurode, Davis, and Colombo left after 2010.
    • Barber left after 2010. Some of these transactions basically led to the window closing by 2010 as the team went 6-10 with Romo missing most of the season with injuries.
    • Newman left after 2011. Spears and Jones left after 2012.
    • Jason Garrett became the head coach entering 2011 after Wade Philips was fired in 2010.
    • The Cowboys were 8-8 for 3 straight seasons between 2011 and 2013 as the team was in transition.
    • Ware and Ratlif left after 2013.
  • The new group of players that would part of the later window start to get drafted (Demarco Murray, Tyrone Smith, etc.).
  • 2014-2017/2018
    • This is the Zack Martin window. The drafting of Zack Martin launched this because the foundation was being made so he was the finishing piece to solidify and elevate the line.
    • Some of the earlier pieces of this group involve drafting center Travis Frederick in 2013 and Tyron Smith in 2011.
    • More key players include Dez Bryant. He was drafted in 2011 and his prime was during this window. Demarco Murray was drafted in 2011 and he started to pop in 2013. DeMarcus Lawrence (drafted in 2014) and Sean Lee (drafted in 2010) were part of this core as well. Orlando Scandrick was drafted in 2008 and became a more productive player in the later years.
    • Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot were both drafted in 2016 but are part of this window because they directly replaced Tony Romo and Demarco Murray without changing up the direction or even style of the team. The two entered this core that still had Dez, Witten, and that offensive line.
    • The team made the playoffs in 2014 and 2016
    • The window ended around the end of 2017 since that was the last seasons for cornerback Orlando Scandrick, Dez Bryant, and Jason Witten (he came back two years later as an older player).
    • 2018 is unique because this was a transition that looked like a new window due to some of the aforementioned players leaving. Nathan Vander Esche was drafted by the team in 2018 and made a name for himself along with Chidobe Awuzie and Jaylen Smith who came in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The team also traded for Amari Cooper midway through 2018. However, this was mostly a transition year that didn’t officially become a new championship window in the following season since it was extremely short lived.
    • The team was mediocre in 2019 and then followed up with a 6-10 season in 2020 that included a new coach in Mike McCarthy. Prescott got hurt and the team was struggling to win anyway. Having back to back disappointing seasons suggests that there wasn’t a real window, let alone the team changing coaches after 2019.
    • Sean Lee left after 2020.
  • 2021- present (likely up to 2025 or 2026)
    • This is basically the 2021 draft pick Micah Parsons window. Key contributors to this core in Ceedee Lamb and Trevon Diggs were drafted in 2020 during the transition year.
    • Elliot’s role reducing doesn’t affect the core since Pollard (drafted in 2019) has been a good alternative and likely will take on the lead role moving forward.
    • The team has made the playoff so far in 2021 and 2022.
    • Other key players in this window include Martin, Tyron Smith, Vander Esche, and Lawrence. Other than Martin, these players’ peaks were towards the end of the last window and especially 2018.
    • The window will still exist even if Prescott isn’t there past 2023 since it is still centered around Parson, Lamb, and Diggs along as the replaceable for Dak is seen as viable (ex. a competent and talented QB on a rookie deal that allows the team to resign the aforementioned big 3 and still have other talent on the team).

Philadelphia Eagles

  • 2000-2006
    • This is the early years of the coach Andy Reid-Donovan McNabb window. Reid became the head coach in 1999 and McNabb was drafted in 1999. Jim Johnson was the defensive coordinator for the eagles during this run and in the next few years afterwards.
    • The core of the team included players such as Troy Vincent (drafted in 1996), Brian Dawkins (drafted in 1996), and Tra Thomas (drafted in 1998). Jeremiah Trotter (drafted in 1998) was also a part of this (he was on a different team in 2002-2003 but came back in 2004). Sheldon Brown (drafted in 2002) also contributed. Hugh Douglas (drafted in 1998) was a contributor in the earlier years but was gone by the last few. Brian Westbrook joined the core when he was drafted in 2002.
    • In the big year of 2004, Terrell Owens and Javon Kearse were brought in to bolster the group as they made a Super Bowl appearance that same season. In 2005, most of the group remained but the run basically ended when McNabb missed the remaining 7 games and the team finished 6-10.
    • Trotter left after 2001. Douglas left after 2002.
    • Vincent left after 2006. Kearse left after 2007.
    • In the following 2006 season, the team made the playoffs with most of the core but with players gone (Terrell Owens) and there started to be new additions such as Trent Cole. He was drafted in 2005. McNabb also didn’t play all of the games again. Maybe, 2006 could still be considered the final year of the window. The following season in 2007 was a true transition year as the team went 8-8 and many of those players were exiting out.
  • 2008-2011/2012
    • This is the second Andy Reid window. It included players such as LeSean McCoy (drafted in 2008), DeSean Jackson (drafted in 2009), Jason Peters (drafted in 2009), Jeremy Maclin (drafted in 2009), Brent Celek (drafted in 2007), Trent Cole (drafted in 2005), and Asante Samuel (drafted in 2008).
    • McNabb was the starting quarterback from 2008-2009 but Michael Vick (signed in 2009) soon replaced him in that role for the following seasons.
    • Dawkins and Thomas left after 2008. Westbrook and Sheldon Brown left after 2009.
    • The team made an NFC title game in 2008.
    • In 2011, the team tried to maximize the window with adding Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, and Jason Babin as part of the “dream team”.
    • Samuel left after 2011
    • 2012 could still be considered the final year of the group because the same group stayed for one more year with big expectations before it ended badly as the team went 4-12 and then roster changes were made.
    • The aforementioned three signings in 2011 ended up leaving after 2012. The window closed.
  • 2013-2015
    • This is the coach Chip Kelly window. The franchise didn’t really have a transition year. Chip Kelly took over as coach so it could be seen as the Chip Kelly window since he designed the team’s offensive approach.
    • Fletcher Cox was drafted in 2012 while Jason Kelce was drafted in 2013. The latter would become key in this core. Safety Malcom Jenkins soon joined the group in 2014. This group was mostly LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Kelce, Brent Celek, and Fletcher Cox with some guys like Mychal Hendricks contributing.
    • Jackson, McCoy, and Maclin were soon traded after 2014.
    • The team made the playoffs in 2013.
    • Foles took over for Vick midway through 2013 at quarterback but then was traded after 2014 for Sam Bradford.
    • Cole left after 2014.
    • Malcom Jenkins signed in 2014. 
    • DeMarco Murray was signed in 2015 to replace McCoy but it did not work out that well.
    • The team went 7-9 in 2015. Kelly was fired. The window ended with Kelly’s firing and the realization that the roster was already in a transition due to the aforementioned trades to key players the year prior. Murray and Bradford not being too productive also led to the window closing. Those two left after the season.
  • 2017-2019
    • This is the Doug Pederson-Core Four window. This group was anchored in the trenches by the “Core Four” Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham (drafted in 2010), Lane Johnson (drafted in 2013), and Jason Kelce as the four were in their prime at this point. Zack Ertz (drafted in 2013), Brandon Brooks (signed in 2016), and Malcom Jenkins were also big pieces in the core. Carson Wentz was the primary quarterback in this group with Foles starting when Wentz was hurt and leading them to the Super Bowl victory in 2017.
    • Celek left after 2017.
    • 2020 is a transition year as the team drafted Jalen Hurts as a sign that they lost faith in Wentz. The team also traded for Darius Slay in 2020.
  • 2021-2026/2027
    • This is the coach Nick Sirianni-Jalen Hurts window. Sirianni became the coach in 2021 and Hurts took over as the primary starting quarterback in that same season.
    • This includes players such as Devonte Smith (drafted in 2021), AJ Brown (came in 2022), Haasan Reddick (came in 2022), Darius Slay, and Dallas Godert (drafted in 2018 and entered his prime in this window). James Bradberry arrived in 2022. Miles Sanders (drafted in 2019) was part of the group until the end of 2022.
    • Cox, Kelce, Graham, and Johnson are still key components of the early parts of the window but will likely be gone mid-way through it due to age.
    • The team made the Super Bowl in 2022.
    • The team drafted many picks from the University of Georgia such as Nakobi Dean (drafted in 2022), Jordan Davis (drafted in 2022), Nolan Smith (drafted in 2023), and Jalen Carter (drafted in 2023). The team hopes that they and some of the others will develop into core members of this group in the following years. We will see.

Washington Commanders

  • 2005-2007
    • This is the Joe Gibbs return window. Key players included Santana Moss (drafted 2005), Chris Cooley (drafted in 2004), Chris Samuels (drafted in 2000), Clinton Portis (drafted in 2002), and Sean Taylor (drafted 2004). The window basically ended when Sean Taylor tragically passed away and Joe Gibbs after 2007.
    • Marc Brunell (signed in 2004) was the starting quarterback in 2005 as the team made the playoffs. Jason Campbell (drafted in 2005) took over midway in 2006 and the team made the playoffs in 2007.
    • The team went 8-8 in 2008 with Jim Zorn as the head coach and then 4-12 afterwards in 2009.
  • We will see if a new window is forming for the team now. If the team has success in 2023 then it could mean a window started in 2022 and this was when it started paying dividends. If so, the likely pieces will be Terry McLaurin (drafted in 2019), Jonathan Allen (drafted in 2017), Montez Sweat (drafted in 2019), Daron Payne (drafted in 2018), and Chase Young (drafted in 2020). Sam Howell (drafted in 2022) would have to cement himself as a franchise quarterback for this to happen.

NFC North

Green Bay Packers

  • 2000-2004
    • This is the coach Mike Sherman-second Brett Favre window. Mike Sherman became the head coach in 2000. Brett Favre was the primary quarterback for this run.
    • Other key players include Ahman Green (came in 2000), Donald Driver (drafted in 1999), tight end Bubba Franks (drafted in 2000), guard Marco Rivera (drafted in 1996), Darren Sharper (drafted in 1997), Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (drafted in 2000), Nick Barnett (drafted in 2003), and Mike Flanagan (drafted in 1998).
    • The Packers made the playoffs from 2001-2004.
    • Franks, Rivera, and Sharper left after 2004. Flanagan left after 2005. Green left after 2006. Franks left after 2007. Gbaja-Biamila left after 2008.
    • The team went 4-12 in 2005 and Sherman got fired. The window basically ended after 2004 partly due to some of the aforementioned roster changes.
    • 2006 was a transition year as they went 8-8.
  • 2007-2012/2013
    • This the first Aaron Rodgers-Mike McCarthy window. Favre was the quarterback in 2007 before Aaron Rodgers took over in 2008. It could be considered the first Aaron Rodgers window but the issue is that he didn’t play in 2007 and when he did in 2008, the team went 6-10 and missed the playoffs.
    • The team made an NFC Championship game in 2007 with Favre and won the Super Bowl in 2010 with Rodgers.
    • The key players include Chad Clifton (drafted in 2003 but came into his own in 2007), Driver, Aaron Kampman (drafted in 2002, but came into his own in 2006), Al Harris (came in 2003), Barnett, Nick Collins (drafted in 2005), Jermicahel Finley (drafted in 2008), Clay Matthews (drafted in 2009), Josh Sitton (drafted in 2008), Tramon Williams (drafted in 2006), John Kuhn (2007-2015), Jordy Nelson (drafted in 2008), Charles Woodson (drafted in 2006), Scott Wells (drafted in 2004), BJ Raji (drafted in 2009), and Greg Jennings (drafted in 2006).
    • Collins, Wells, and Driver left after 2011, Jennings and Woodson left after 2012. Finley left after 2013. Williams and Hawk left after 2014. Raji and Sitton left after 2015.
    • This window technically ended after 2012/2013. The team was still good in 2013 as it still had Aaron Rodgers and other key players. They likely would have had a better record then just 8-7-1 if Rodgers didn’t miss half the season. However, the aforementioned roster changes from the end of 2011 and 2012 added up. The team’s expectations and certain other player’s prime entered in the mid 2010 (specifically 2014) for the team.
  • 2014-2017
    • This is the second Aaron Rodgers-Mike McCarthy window. Other key players include Nelson, Sitton, Julius Peppers (came in 2014), Randall Cobb (drafted in 2011), Sam Shields (undrafted in 2010), TJ Lang (drafted in 2009, came into his own in the mid-late 2010s), David Bakhtiari (drafted in 2013), Mike Daniel (drafted in 2012), Ha Ha Clinton Dix (drafted in 2014), Davante Adams (drafted in 2014 and emerged in the later years of the window),
    • The Packers made two NFC Championship games in 2014 and 2016.
    • Peppers, Lang, and Shields left after 2016. Daniel, Cobb, Clinton-Dix, and Matthews left after 2018. All of these moves contributed to the window ending after 2017. Rodgers’ injury mid-way through 2017 caused the team to finish 7-9 and not maximize that final year of the window.
    • 2018 was a 6-9-1 season even with Rodgers being there. It ended up being a transition year. McCarthy towards the end of the 2018 season.
  • 2019-? (either 2022 or as long as 2025)
    • This is the Matt LeFleur-Aaron Rodgers-Prime Davante Adams window. LeFleur became the coach in 2019. The early years of this window is with Aaron Rodgers and prime Davante Adams.
    • Other key players include Bakhtiari, Kenny Clark (drafted in 2016), Za’Darius Smith (came in 2019), Aaron Jones (drafted in 2017), Jaire Alexander (drafted in 2018), Elgton Jenkins (drafted in 2019), Corey Linsley (drafted in 2014 but came into his own in the later 2010s), De’Vondre Campbell (signed in 2021), Preston Smith (signed in 2019), Randall Cobb, and Rasul Douglas (came in 2021).
    • The Packers made 3 straight NFC Championship games from 2019-2021.
    • Linsley left after 2020. Za’Darius Smith and especially Adams left after 2021. The team went 8-9 in 2022. Rodgers and Cobb left after 2022.
    • Whether this window ends after 2022 or can still go on into possibly 2025 will be mostly based on how Jordan Love and, to a lesser extent, how Christian Watson, Eric Stokes, Quay Walker, Romeo Doubs, and a few other young players develop. If they become viable replacements for Adams and Rodgers, then the window can continue under LeFleur as some of their core players are still on the team and could stay on for a few more seasons. If they don’t pan out, especially Love, then it could mean the window likely ended after 2022.
    • One would have to wonder how long LeFleur will stay on the team if the Packers have a very bad season in 2023 or consecutive disappointing and mediocre seasons from 2022-2024. If this window does extend into the next few years then window that started in 2019 can retroactively just be known as the Matt LeFleur Window because it would mean that it extended past Aaron Rodgers’ and Davante Adams’ time in Green Bay.

Detroit Lions

  • The Jim Schwartz Lions had a good 2011 season after a late season run in 2010. The team’s disappointing 2012 season and mediocre 7-9 2013 season basically ended any chance of a window being formed.
  • 2014-2017/2018
    • This is the coach Jim Caldwell window. His first season was in 2014.
    • The key players include Matthew Stafford (drafted in 2009), Calvin Johnson (2007-2015), Ndamukong Suh (2009-2014), Glover Quin (drafted in 2013), DeAndre Levy (drafted in 2009) (left after 2016), Marvin Jones (signed in 2016), Golden Tate (came in 2014), Ezekiel Ansah (drafted in 2013), Quandre Diggs (drafted in 2015), and Darius Slay (drafted in 2013).
    • The team made the playoffs a couple of times in this window.
    • Levy left after 2016.
    • The window basically ended in 2018. Caldwell was fired after 2017 when the team went 9-7 but missed the playoffs. Entering 2018, the team was expected to still be good or even improve with the new coach in Matt Patricia. However, this went wrong and they finished at 5-11, thus ending the window.
    • Levy, Quinn, Ansah, and Tate left after 2018. Slay and Diggs left after 2019. These moves further closed the window. Stafford and Jones left after 2020.
  • If the 2023 season goes well for the Lions then there could be a new window that technically would have started in 2022 (9-8) and could likely last up until 2026-2028. If so it will be the Dan Campbell window. It would consist of key players such as Jared Goff (at least for the next couple of seasons), Penei Sewell (drafted in 2021), Frank Ragnow (drafted in 2018), Amon-Ra St. Brown (drafted in 2021), and Aidan Hutchinson (drafted in 2022). For this window to be fulfilled and sustained it will require a few more players to be key players such as Jahmyr Gibbs (drafted in 2023), Jameson Williams (drafted in 2022), CJ Gardner Johnson (signed in 2023), Emmanuel Mosley (signed in 2023), Malcom Rodriguez (drafted in 2022), Jack Campbell (drafted in 203), and Cameron Sutton (signed in 2023). They will need to sustain a good offensive system in case Ben Johnson eventually leaves in these next couple of seasons.

Minnesota Vikings

  • 2003-2005
    • This is the Mike Tice window. He became the coach in 2002.
    • This window includes Matt Birk (drafted in 1998), Randy Moss (drafted in 1998), Kevin Williams (drafted in 2003), and Antoine Winfield (came in 2004). Nate Burleson was drafted in 2003 and was productive at least in 2004.
    • Daunte Culpepper was the starting quarterback in 2003 and 2004. He and Brad Johnson split time at quarterback in 2005.
    • The team made the playoff in 2004 while. They almost made the playoffs in 2003 and 2005 with 9-7 records.  
    • Moss left after 2004
    • Darren Sharper came to the team in 2005 and made an all pro.
    • He was fired after the 2005 season.
    • Culpepper left after 2005.
    • Those aforementioned moves ultimately led to the ending of the window. The team went 6-10 in 2006.
  • 2007-2010
    • This is Adrian Peterson- coach Brad Childress window. Peterson was drafted in 2007. Childress became the coach in 2006.
    • The team was 8-8 in Peterson’s first years and then 10-6 in 2008.
    • The other key players are Steve Hutchinson (came in 2006), Matt Birk (drafted in 1998), Pat Williams (came in 2005), Kevin Williams (drafted in 2003), Darren Sharper (signed in 2005), Antoine Winfield Sr. (drafted in 2004), Jared Allen (signed 2008), Bryant McKinnie (drafted in 2002), Sidney Rice (drafted in 2007), and Percy Harvin (drafted in 2009).
    • The starting quarterback in 2007 was Tarvaris Jackson and then Gus Frerotte became the starter in 2008.
    • Brett Favre came to the team to start in 2009 to raise the expectations of the team.
    • The team made the NFC Championship game in 2009.
    • Sharper and Birk left after 2008. Favre, Pat Williams, McKinnie, and Rice left after 2010.
    • Childress also got fired after 2010. All of these moves, especially with Favre, contributed to the window closing.
    • Hutchinson left 2011, Winfield and Harvin left after 2012.
  • 2015-2020
    • This is the Mike Zimmer window. He became the coach in 2014.
    • Adrian Peterson was a key player and then left after 2016.
    • Teddy Bridgewater was drafted in 2014. He was the starter in 2015 but due to a serious injury, he never started for the team again and had to later play elsewhere once he recovered.
    • Sam Bradford was the primary starter in 2016 but was replaced by Case Keenum in 2017 due to Bradford’s injury. Kirk Cousins became the primary for the rest of the window and afterwards.
    • Key players include Everson Griffen (drafted in 2010), Harrison Smith (drafted in 2012), Anthony Barr (drafted in 2014), Stefon Diggs (drafted in 2016), Linval Joseph (drafted 2014), Xavier Rhodes (drafted in 2013), Adam Thielen (drafted in 2013), Kyle Rudolph (drafted after 2011), Danielle Hunter (drafted in 2015), Eric Kendricks (drafted in 2015), and Dalvin Cook (drafted in 2017).
    • The team made the NFC Championship game in 2017.
    • Griffen, Rhodes, Diggs, and Joseph left after 2019. Rudolph left after 2020. The moves contributed to there being a transition of the team and roster entering 2020 and 2021.
    • The team got off to a bad start and finished 7-9 in 2020.
    • Barr left after 2021.
    • Justin Jefferson was drafted in 2020. Christian Darrisaw was drafted in 2021. These two are key players for the next potential window.
    • The team went 8-9 in 2021 and it led to Mike Zimmer being fired after 2021.
  • 2022-? (2026/2027)
    • This could potentially be a new window and if it is then it is the Justin Jefferson-coach Kevin O’Connell window. O’Connell became the coach in 2022. Jefferson had an all pro in 2022 and was in the top 5 of the MVP voting.
    • The team made the playoffs in 2022.
    • The key players for at least the next few seasons include Jefferson, Darrisaw, and Hockensen. We will see how long Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter stay on the team past 2023.
    • Theilen, Cook, Peterson, and Kendricks left after 2022.
    • The team traded for TJ Hockensen in the second half of 2022.
    • The team will likely need some more players to develop into key players for this to become a true window.

Chicago Bears

  • The Bears had a 13-3 season in 2001 with Dick Juron as the head coach. Brian Urlacher (drafted in 2000) and center Olin Kreutz (drafted in 1998) were on that team. However, this never became a window as the team was bad the previous seasons beforehand and were bad the following seasons. A couple of key players in this 2001 team left right after 2002 such as defensive tackle Ted Washington (signed in 2001) and offensive tackle James Williams (drafted in 1991).
  • 2005-2008/2009
    • This is the first coach Lovie Smith window. He became the coach in 2004.
    • Key players include Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs (drafted in 2003), Mike Brown (drafted in 2000), Tommie Harris (drafted in 2004), Olin Kreutz, Nathan Vasher (drafted in 2004), and Devin Hester (drafted in 2006). Charles Tilman was drafted in 2003.
    • The team’s quarterbacks were Rex Grossman and then Kyle Orton.
    • The team made the Super Bowl in 2006 after a playoff season in 2005. They missed the playoffs in 2007 and then finished with a winning record of 9-7 but missed the playoffs.
    • The team signed Jay Cutler in 2009 to improve the quarterback play but he was inconsistent and the team went 7-9. As a result, it closed the window due to 3 straight missed playoff appearances and some subsequent roster changes as seen below.
    • Mike Brown left after 2008. Vasher left after 2009. Harris and Kreutz left after 2010.
  • 2010-2014
    • This the Jay Cutler window. Martz became the offensive coordinator in 2010 and then left after 2011.
    • The core players were many from the year before such as Urlacher, Briggs, Hester, Matt Forte (drafted in 2008), and Cutler. The team signed Julius Peppers and Tim Jennings in 2010.
    • The team made the NFC Championship game in 2010.
    • The team drafted Alshon Jeffrey in 2012 and signed Brandon Marshall in 2012 to bolster the window offensively. Martellus Bennett signed in 2013 for the same purposes. Kyle Long was drafted in 2013.
    • The team made the playoffs in 2010. They went 8-8 in the following season. Cutler missed the last 6 games of the season. In 2012, the team went 10-6 and only missed the playoffs due to tiebreakers.
    • Urlacher left after 2012. Tilman, Jennings and Briggs left after 2014. Hester left after 2013. Forte left after 2015.
    • Lovie Smith was fired after 2012. Marc Trestman became the coach in 2013. The team missed the playoffs at 8-8 in a playoff clinching scenario.
    • Even though the three missed the playoffs from 2011-2013, it is a unique situation because their 2012 10-6 season was a rare missed playoff season since 10-6 usually gets a team in the postseason.
    • The window officially ended in 2014 as the team went 5-11. Trestman got fired. Marshall left after 2014. The other aforementioned roster changes at the time contribute to this window closing.
  • 2018-2020
    • This is the coach Matt Nagy window. Nagy became the coach in 2018 as the team went 12-4 and made the playoffs.
    • Mitch Trubisky was drafted in 2017.
    • Key players in this window were Charles Leno Jr. (drafted in 2014), Akiem Hicks (signed in 2016), Eddie Jackson (drafted in 2017), Khalil Mack (signed in 2018), Kyle Fuller (drafted in 2014), Tariq Cohen (drafted in 2017), Danny Trevathan (signed in 2016), and Allen Robinson (signed in 2018).
    • Roquan Smith was drafted in 2018 but came into his own more in 2020.
    • The team went 8-8 in back to back seasons from 2019-2020. The latter season was a playoff season.
    • Trubisky left the team after 2020 and was replaced with a young developmental quarterback in Justin Fields entering 2021. This move rather than to get a proven veteran signifies (one that is better than Trubisky) the team was moving in a different direction towards a rebuild rather than a retool to keep the window going. The window closed.
    • Nagy was fired after 2021 as the team went 6-11.
    • Leno Jr. and Fuller left after 2020. Mack, Trevathan, Robinson, and Cohen left after 2021. Some other contributing role players also left and or retired between 2019 and 2021.
  • We will see if a new window will be formed in 2023 or 2024. The coach for the time being is Matt Everflus. For this to become a window the team will need major contributions from quarterback Justin Fields (or another quarterback if he doesn’t establish himself), DJ Moore (signed in 2023), Cole Kmet (drafted in 2020), Jaquan Brisker (drafted in 2020), Jaylon Johnson (drafted in 2022), Tremaine Edmunds (signed in 2023), and Darnell Wright (drafted in 2023).

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

  • 2002-2005/2006
    • This is the Michael Vick window. Dan Reeves was the coach until 2003 and then Jim Mora took over. Vick was drafted in 2001 and took over as the starter in 2002.
    • The core players was Warrick Dunn (he came in 2002), Alge Crumpler (drafted in 2001), Keith Brooking (drafted in 1998), Peerless Price (2004-2005), Rod Coleman (signed 2004), Patrick Kearney (drafted in 1999), and DeAngelo Hall (drafted in 2004, made pro bowls the next 2 seasons).
    • The team made an NFC Championship game in 2004.
    • The team was 8-8 in 2005 and ended up 7-9 in 2006. The latter year could be argued as the final window year since it could have been a bounce back year entering in but ended up not being a bounce back year.
    • Mora got fired after 2006.
    • Vick ended up going to jail for dog fighting which officially closed the window.
    • Kearney left after 2006. Crumpler, Coleman, and Dunn left after 2007. Brooking left after 2008.
  • 2008-2012/2013
    • This is the coach Mike Smith-first Matt Ryan window. Mike Smith became the coach in 2008 while Ryan was drafted that same year.
    • Key players were Michael Turner (signed in 2008), Roddy White (drafted in 2005), Tony Gonzalez (came in 2010), offensive tackle Tyson Clabo (signed in 2005), Brent Grimes (undrafted in 2006), safety William Moore (drafted in 2009), and Julio Jones (drafted in 2011). Asante Samuel came in 2012 to bolster the group.
    • The team made an NFC Championship game in 2012.
    • John Abraham, Tyson Clabo, Brent Grimes, and Michael Turner left after 2012 while Tony Gonzalez and Asante Samuel left after 2013.
    • 2013 was a bad year but coming into it, the team were seen as a contending team with Gonzalez returning and Julio entering year 3 until the season occurred and ended disastrously at 4-12. Mike Smith was fired after 2014.  Moore left after 2015.
  • 2016-2018/2019
    • This is the coach Dan Quinn-second Matt Ryan window. Quinn’s first year was 2015.
    • Key players were Matt Ryan prime Julio Jones, Grady Jarrett (drafted in 2015), Austin Hooper (drafted 2016), Mohamed Sanu (drafted in 2016), Vic Beasley (drafted in 2015), Devonta Freeman (drafted in 2014), Jake Matthews (drafted in 2014), and Desmond Trufant (drafted in 2013). A few notable players that were drafted in 2016 were De’Vondre Campbell and Deion Jones. Some signs of the core forming started in 2015.
    • The team made the Super Bowl in 2016.
    • Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan left after 2016 and the offensive took a step back in 2017 as a result. It could be seen that 2018 was the last year of the window as the team had a vibe that they were starting to not recover from the 2016 Super Bowl. 2019 could still be seen as a window since the core was still there but expectations weren’t too high entering that year.
    • Many of the players such as Campbell, Hooper, Sanu, Beasley, Trufant, and a few more started to leave after 2019.
    • The 2020 season was barely a transition year as there wasn’t truly a direction. Dan Quinn was fired afterwards. 2021 and 2022 were transition years as Julio Jones left after 2020 and Ryan left after 2021.
  • We will see if a new window is forming entering 2023 quietly. Kyle Pitts was drafted in 2022, Drake London and Desmond Ridder were drafted in 2023, and AJ Terrell was drafted in 2020 and made an all pro in 2021. Chris Lindstrom was drafted in 2019 and has become one of the best guards in the league. Bijan Robinson was drafted in 2023. Coach Arthur Smith came in 2021. The team signed Calais Campbell and Jesse Bates in 2023. If there is a window with this group then it will be the Bijan Robinson window.

New Orleans Saints

  • The Saints had a playoff team in 2000 after some bad seasons. However, they couldn’t form a contending window as the team was mediocre the following 4 seasons. They averaged a .500 record in that time period and failed to make the playoffs.
  • The team was very good in 2006 and made an NFC Championship. However their next 2 mediocre seasons prevented a window from fully forming especially with transitions that were made. Sean Payton became the head coach in 2006 and Drew Brees joined the team and became the primary starting quarterback in 2006.
  • 2009-2013
    • This is the first Drew Brees-Sean Payton window. Key players included Jahri Evans (drafted in 2006), Roman Harper (drafted in 2006), Darren Sharper (2009-2010), Jonathan Vilma (signed in 2008), Jimmy Graham (drafted in 2010), and Cameron Jordan (drafted in 2011). Jerome Bushrod (drafted in 2007), and Carl Nicks (drafted in 2008) were also contributors (left in 2012 and 2011, respectively). Marc Ingram was drafted in 2011.
    • The team won the Super Bowl in 2009.
    • Nicks left after 2011. Bushrod left after 2012. Vilma, Evans, and Harper left after 2013, thus ending the window. The team went 7-9 in 2014 and in the following two seasons.
    • Graham also left after 2014. Evans left in 2015.
  • 2017-2021 (could be until 2022/2023)
    • This is the second Drew Brees-Sean Payton window (2017 Draft Class Window). This group included Marc Ingram (left after 2019), Michael Thomas (drafted in 2016), Andrus Peat (drafted in 2015) Terron Armstead (drafted 2013), Cameron Jordan (drafted in 2011), and many 2017 draft picks such as Marshon Lattimore, Alvin Kamara, Trey Hendrickson, and Ryan Ramczyk. Demario Davis joined the group in 2018.
    • The team made an NFC Championship game in 2018.
    • Drew Brees retired after 2020. The same team was there in 2021 so the window was still technically there with Sean Payton as they gave Jameis Winston the chance to be the replacement to Brees. The team was 5-2 with Winston until he got hurt but they finished 9-8 despite a lot of injuries.
    • Armstead and Hendrickson left after 2021. Sean Payton left after 2021. Michael Thomas hasn’t been healthy in 2021 and 2022. The window could be seen as over in 2021 but one could argue that it extended in 2022 and now into 2023 since a lot of the same group is still there despite missing the playoffs 2 straight years. Sean Payton was replaced with former defensive coordinator Dennis Allen (same defensive scheme kept) while Pete Carmichael remained as the offensive coordinator (same offensive scheme kept).
    • If a window continues then in hindsight the window starting from 2017 will simply be dubbed as the 2017 Draft Class Window due to how prominent that class for this team in launching this window.
    • The team added Bradley Roby in 2021, added Tyron Mathieu in 2022, drafted Chris Olave in 2022, and signed QB Derek Carr entering 2023.

Tampa Buccaneers

  • 1997-2003
    • This is the Tampa 2 window. Tony Dungy was the coach from 1996-2001. The Buccaneers popularized and used a disguised version of the cover 3 defensive coverage known as the Tampa 2 during this window when they had success.
    • Key players included Derrick Brooks (drafted in 1995), Warren Sapp (drafted in 1995), John Lynch (drafted in 1993), Mike Alstott (drafted in 1996), Hardy Nickerson (1993-1999), Warrick Dunn (1997-2001), center Tony Mayberry (1990-1999), Ronde Barber (drafted 1997), Keyshawn Johnson (came in 2000), Simeon Rice (came in 2001), Brad Johnson (came in 2001) and Keenan McCardell (came in 2002). – Rice, McCardell, Keyshawn Johnson, and Brad Johnson were basically meant to bolster the window (especially the latter 3 offensively) to help win the super bowl in 2002.
    • Trent Difler was the quarterback from 1994-1999. After a few other quarterbacks played, Brad Johnson took over and was on the super bowl winning team in 2002.
    • Jon Gruden took over in 2002 after Dungy was let go.
    • Lynch and Sapp along with receivers McCardell and Keyshawn Johnson left after 2003. The team was 7-9 in 2003. The following season, they went 5-11 and missed the playoffs for the second year, thus ending this window.
  • 2005-2008
    • This is the Jon Gruden window.
    • Key players still included Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber, and Cadillac Williams (was productive in 2005). The quarterbacks around this period were Brian Griese, Chris Simms, and Jeff Garcia later on.
    • Brooks left after 2007. Alstott left after 2007 as well but his best years were earlier anyway. Barber left after 2012 but his best years ended after 2007.
    • The window officially ended after 2008 when the team was 9-3 but lost 4 straight to miss the playoffs which led to Gruden getting fired.
  • The Buccaneers went 10-6 but missed the playoffs. A window did not form as the team went 4-12, 7-9, and then 4-12 in the subsequent seasons before further changes to the coaching and personnel were made.
  • 2019-2022
    • This is the Tom Brady-Bruce Arians window. Key players include Devon White (drafted in 2019), Lavonte David, Jason Pierre-Paul (came in 2018), Tristian Wirfs, Mike Evans, Ali Marpet, Rob Gronkowski (2020-2021), Antonio Brown (midway 2020 to late 2021), Ryan Jensen (came in 2018), Leonard Fournette (came in 2020), Vita Vea, Shaquille Barrett (came in 2019), Chris Godwin, and Antoine Winfield Jr.
    • Bruce Arians came in 2019. The team was 7-9. Jameis Winston had been the starter until Tom Brady came in 2020 to replace him. Many of the guys in the core were on the 2019 team in which Winston threw 30 interceptions on.
    • The team won the Super Bowl in 2020.
    • Gronkowski and Marpet retired after 2021. Bruce stepped down from his head coaching position after 2021. Jensen missed all of 2022 with an injury. Tom Brady retired after 2022, thus ending the window as it also coincided with some of the aforementioned transitions and with the lack of a true viable successor/replacement for Brady.
  • We will see if a new window gets formed in the next couple of years. Right now, Todd Bowles is the coach. It will likely require contributions from younger players such as Chris Godwin (drafted in 2017), Devon White (if he stays long term), Rachaad White (drafted in 2022), Tristian Wirfs (drafted in 2020), Jamel Dean (drafted in 2019), Vita Vea (drafted in 2018), and the 2023 drafts picks such as defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and tackle Cody Mauch. They will also need an established franchise quarterback whether that ends up being Kyle Trask (drafted in 2021), Baker Mayfield (signed in 2023), or some other likely draft pick in the following seasons.

Carolina Panthers

  • 2003-2006
    • This is the John Fox-Jake Delhomme-Steve Smith window. Fox became the coach in 2002. The key players include Jake Delhomme (came in 2003), Julius Peppers (drafted in 2002), Kris Jenkins (drafted in 2001), running back Stephen Davis (2003-2005), Muhsin Muhammad (left after 2004), Steve Smith (2001-2013), Mark Fields (2002-2004), and Dan Morgan (drafted in 2001).
    • The team made a Super Bowl in 2003.
    • Jenkins and Morgan left after 2007. The window with this core ended after 2006-2007 as there were back to back non-playoff seasons.
    • 2007 basically became a transition year as some key players were in their last years with the team.
    • 2008 was a big playoff season that ended disappointedly. It could have been seen as a second John Fox-Jake Delhomme window with Steve Smith and Julius Peppers. However, the team struggled the following seasons. It had some key players such as linebacker Jon Beason (drafted in 2007), DeAngelo Williams (2006-2014), Jonathan Stewart (drafted in 2008), and tackle Jordan Gross (2003-2013).
    • Delhomme struggled in the 2008 postseason game and in the subsequent 2009 season. Peppers and Delhomme left after 2009 without viable replacements and John Foxx left after 2010. This all prevented any chance of this later group becoming a second window.
  • 2013-2018
    • This is the coach Ron Rivera-Cam Newton-Luke Keuchly window. Newton was drafted in 2011 while Keuchly was drafted in 2012. Other key players include center Ryan Kalil (drafted in 2007), Greg Hardy (2010-2014), Mike Tolbert (2012-2016), Greg Olsen (came in 2011), Thomas Davis (drafted in 2005 but started become elite in the 2010s), Josh Norman (2012-2015), Kawan Short (drafted in 2013), Trai Turner (drafted in 2014), Andrew Norwell (drafted in 2014), and Jonathan Stewart.
    • The team made the Super Bowl in 2015.
    • Christian McCaffrey was drafted in 2017 to bolster the final stretch of the window.
    • 2018 led to the team finishing with a mediocre season despite entering with expectations. Newton started to deal with injuries.
    • Stewart left after 2017, Kalil and Davis left after 2018, Olsen and Turner left after 2019. Keuchly also retired after 2019. Cam Newton did not play much at all in 2019 and also left after the season. Rivera was fired late in 2019. All of these transitions led to the window closing after 2018 while 2019 basically became a transition year or a year where the window closed and it was obvious changes were to be made.
  • We will see if a new window is formed in 2023 or in 2024. If it is then it will be the Bryce Young-Frank Reich window. Young was drafted in 2023 while Reich became the coach in that same year. It will require contributions moving forward from Young and also tackle Ikem Okwonu (drafted in 2022), Jaycee Horn (drafted in 201), Jeremy Chinn (drafted in 2020), Brian Burns (drafted in 2019), Derrick Brown (drafted in 2020), and 2023 draft pick Jonathan Mingo. They will need recent 2023 veteran additions to contribute as well in the short term such as Miles Sanders and Adam Thielen.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals

  • 2007-2009
    • This is the coach Ken Whisenhunt-Kurt Warner window. Ken Whisenhunt became the head coach in 2007. Warner came to the team in 2005 but became a full time starter in 2007 when Wisenhunt got there. The team went 8-8 and almost made the playoffs in 2007 before their 9-7 Super Bowl run in 2008.
    • The other key players in this run include Darnell Dockett (drafted in 2004), Larry Fitzgerald (drafted in 2004), Anquan Boldin (drafted in 2003), Adrian Wilson (drafted in 2001), Carlos Dansby (drafted in 2004), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (drafted in 2008), Antrel Rolle (drafted in 2005), Edgerrin James (2006-2008), and Calais Campbell was drafted in 2008 but became a full time starter in 2009, the final year of this window.
    • Kurt Warner left after 2009. Dansby and Rolle left after 2009. Rodgers-Cromartie left after 2010.
    • The team tried to give quarterbacks such as Ken Anderson, Matt Leinart, Kevin Kolb, and John Skelton opportunities to be the primary starter in the following seasons from 2010-2012 to see if they can take advantage of the window that likely should have lasted until at least 2012 since some of the key players were still there at the time. Since the quarterback play was not good and it contributed to mostly disappointing seasons from 2010-2012, the window basically ended in 2009 and never got truly revitalized since 2012 was a 4-12 season after a mediocre 8-8 season in 2011.
    • Adrian Wilson left after 2012.
  • 2013-2017
    • This is the coach Bruce Arians-Carson Palmer window. Both came together in 2013.
    • Other key players include Patrick Peterson (drafted in 2011), Fitzgerald, John Abraham (2013-2014), Campbell, David Johnson (drafted in 2015), and Tyron Mathieu (drafted in 2013).
    • The team added Antonio Cromartie in 2014 and he was only there for that one season but made a pro bowl.
    • The team added Mike Iupati in 2015. Chandler Jones was added in 2016.
    • Dockett was there in 2013 but retired afterwards.
    • The team made an NFC Championship Game in 2015.
    • Campbell left after 2016, Mathieu left after 2017. Iupati left after 2018.
    • The window was already looking like it was closing heading into 2017 as the team had 2 mediocre seasons between 2016 and 2017.
    • Palmer retired after 2017 and Arians left after 2017 as well. This led to the window officially closing.
  • The cardinals looked as they were forming a window starting in 2020. Quarterback Kyler Murray and Coach Kliff Kingsburry came in 2019. It would have been the Kyler Murray-Kliff Kingsbury Window.
    • DeAndre Hopkins was traded there in 2020. Other key players included Budda Baker, DJ Humphries (drafted in 2015 but came into his own in later years), Patrick Peterson, Chandler Jones, Zach Ertz (trade midway in 2021), JJ Watt (signed in 2021), Byron Murphy (drafted in 2019) and AJ Green (signed in 2021). Larry Fitzgerald was a contributor for a short time.
    • The team made the playoffs in 2021.
    • Peterson and Fitzgerald left after 2020. Chandler Jones left after 2021. JJ Watt, Hopkins, and AJ Green left after 2022.
    • The team finished with a poor record in 2022 as Murray missed the end of the season and Kingsburry was fired. The team appears to be in a rebuild based on the aforementioned roster changes and with Murray set to miss games in 2023. As a result, this window never fully took over the past 2+ seasons.
  • If they were to eventually launch a new window, likely 2024 at earliest, it would be the Jonathan Gannon window. It could instead be dubbed the Jonathan Gannon-second Kyler Murray window if Murray is confirmed to stay the franchise quarterback beyond 2023.
    • For window to form, the team will need strong contributions from players such as Kyle Murray (or a quarterback that succeeds him if he is not there long term), 2023 draft pick Paris Johnson Jr., 2023 draft pick BJ Ojulari, Zaven Collins (drafted in 2021), and Isaiah Simmons (drafted in 2020), Budda Baker, and likely more players in the upcoming years.

San Francisco 49ers

  • 2001-2003
    • This is the Steve Mariucci-Jeff Garcia-Prime Terrell Owens window. Garcia was signed in 1999 and became the primary starting quarterback.
    • Key players were Terrell Owens (drafted in 1996), Bryant Young (drafted in 194), Julian Peterson (drafted in 2000), guard Ron Stone (2002-2003), Garrison Hearst (drafted in 1997), and Jeremy Newberry (drafted in 1998).
    • Steve Mariucci was there but left after 2002 despite back to back postseason appearances. 2003 led to a 7-9 season.
    • Owens, Stone, Garcia, and Hearst left after 2003, effectively ending the window. Peterson left after 2005. Newberry left after 2006.
  • 2011-2014
    • This is the Jim Harbaugh window. The main players, most of which were there a few years or more before the coach’s arrival, are Frank Gore (drafted in 2005), NoVarro Bowman (drafted in 2010), Justin Smith (signed in 2008), Patrick Willis (signed in 2007), Mike Iupati (signed in 2010), Joe Staley (drafted in 2007), Dashon Goldson (drafted in 2007), Michael Crabtree (drafted in 2009), Vernon Davis (drafted in 2006), and Carlos Rogers (came in 2011).
    • Aldon Smith was drafted in 2011 and contributed. Smith was the quarterback until 2011 draft pick Colin Kaepernick replaced him in 2012.
    • The team made 3 straight NFC Championship games from 2011-2013 and had a Super Bowl appearance specifically in 2012.
    • Goldson left after 2012 while Rodgers left after 2013.
    • In 2014, the team started fast but lost 4 of 5 to finish 8-8. Aldon Smith, Patrick Willis, Mike Iupati, Michael Crabtree, Frank Gore, and Jim Harbaugh left after 2014, thus ending the window.
    • Davis left after 2015. Bowman left after 2017.
    • 2015-2016 was a transitioning/rebuilding period while 2017 was the first year of the Klye Shanahan/John Lynch partnership and rebuild.
  • 2019-2024/2025
    • This is the Nick Bosa window. He was drafted in 2019 and made his first pro bowl in the first year this made the playoffs. The team ended up having a Super Bowl appearance season of 2019. He won defensive player of the year in 2022.
    • This window occurred a few years into the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch (general manager) era. Both came in 2017. The team was 10-22 in 2017 and 2018 before Bosa arrived. The team’s defensive statistics and record even during the Bosa era when he doesn’t play still isn’t as good compared to when he does play.
    • The core of the window include Bosa, George Kittle (drafted in 2017), Deebo Samuel (drafted in 2019), Kyle Juszcyzk (drafted in 2017), Fred Warner (drafted in 2018), Trent Williams (came in 2020), and Arik Armstead (drafted in 2015). Brandon Aiyuk and Talanoa Hufanga were drafted in 2020 and 2021 respectively and both emerged in 2022. The team traded for Christian McCaffrey mid-way through 2022 to be a key player.
    • Some could argue that if Jimmy Garoppolo had stayed healthy in 2018 if the window could have started then.
    • Richard Sherman (signed in 2018), DeForest Buckner (drafted in 2016), and Joe Staley were contributors for that first year in 2019. They left afterwards.
    • Jimmy Garoppolo has been the primary starter until Brock Purdy replaced him due to injury mid-way through 2022.

Los Angeles Rams

  • 1999-2003/2004
    • This is the Greatest Show on Turf-coach Mike Martz window. It started when Kurt Warner (signed in 199) emerged and Torry Holt (drafted in 1999), Marshall Faulk (signed in 1999), and Mike Martz (offensive coordinator until 2000 then became the head coach) arrived.
    • Other key players in the group were Isaac Bruce (drafted in 1994), Orlando Pace (drafted in 1997), defensive tackle D’Marco Farr (drafted in 1994), guard Adam Timmerman (signed in 1999), pass rusher Leonard Little (drafted in 1998), pass rusher Kevin Carter (drafted in 1995), and cornerback Todd Lyght (drafted in 1991). Safety Aeneas Williams came in 2001.
    • Dick Vermeil was the head coach in 1999 but left after 2000. Martz took over as the head coach.
    • The team won the Super Bowl in 1999 and made another one in 2001 but lost.
    • Farr, Lyght, and Carter left after 2000.
    • Even though Warner and Faulk soon left a few years into the window, the window technically lasted until 2004 because Marc Bulger and Stephen Jackson were direct replacements to them while the other pieces and scheme remained.
    • The team was 12-4 in 2003 but went down to 8-8 as they barely made the playoffs.
    •  In 2005, they were 6-10. Martz left early in the season, thus ending the window. The team went 8-8 in 2006 but then won under 4 games the next few seasons afterwards.
    • Williams left after 2004.Timmerman left after 2006. Bruce left after 2007. Pace and Holt left after 2008. Little left after 2009.
  • 2017-2022 (maybe 2023?)
    • This is the coach Sean McVay window. Sean McVay came in 2017.
    • Key players in this window include Cooper Kupp (drafted in 2017), and Andrew Whitworth (signed in 2017) that came to join Aaron Donald (drafted in 2014), Toddy Gurley (drafted in 2015), and Jared Goff (drafted in 2016) in 2017. Roger Saffold was also a key player as he was there from 2010-2018. Robert Woods also came in 2017. Other additions came in briefly such as Marcus Peters (2018-2019) and Aqib Talib (2018-2019).
    • The team made the Super Bowl in 2018.
    • The window continued even after Gurley’s exit after 2019 and Matthew Stafford replacing Goff after 2020.
    •  Other additions included Jalen Ramsey in 2020. Von Miller and Odell Beckham came in a 2021 trade.
    • The team won the Super Bowl in 2021.
    • Many players such as Miller, Whitworth, Beckham, and Woods have left after 2021. Ramsey and Floyd left after 2022.
  • The window right now (referring to the McVay window) seems to be centered on McVay, Kupp, and Donald. A lot of the aforementioned roster changes and the team’s subsequent 5-12 season in 2012 (albeit there were injuries) seems to suggest the window closed after 2022. We will see whether it has fully closed, if the team is in transition, or if the window is actually still open because of McVay, Kupp, and Donald. Things will also depend on how long Stafford along with McVay and Donald even want to stay given all the speculations in the last year or so.

Seattle Seahawks

  • 2003-2007
    • This is the coach Mike Holmgren-Matt Hasselbeck-Shaun Alexander window. Other key players include Walter Jones, Steve Hutchinson (left after 2005), Lofa Tatupu (came in 2005), and Julian Peterson (came in 2006).
    • The team made the Super Bowl in 2005.
    • Shaun Alexander left after 2007, basically ending the window as the team went 4-12 in 2008. Holmgren left after2008.
    • The following years were transition years. 2010 was a 7-9 playoff appearance that had some few players from the old window (Hasselbeck). Some guys of the new window started to come in 2010 (Marshawn Lynch, Earl Thomas, Brandon Browner, Golden Tate, and Kam Chancellor) but other than Lynch, the younger ones were key players yet. Max Unger was drafted in 2009.
    • 2011 was another transition as key players like Richard Sherman and Doug Baldwin came then. Hasselbeck and Tatupu left after 2010. Tavaris Jackson was the primary quarterback in 2011 before Wilson took over in 2012.
  • This the Legion of Boom-Marshawn Lynch-first coach Pete Carroll-Russell Wilson window. The Legion of Boom consists of cornerback Sherman, safety Earl Thomas, and safety Kam Chancellor.
    • Other key player includes Browner (left after 2013), Lynch, quarterback Russell Wilson (drafted in 2012), Bobby Wagner (drafted in 2012), Unger, Michael Bennett (came back in 2013), Cliff Avril (came in 2013), Golden Tate (left after 2013), and Doug Baldwin. Tyler Lockett was drafted in 2015.
    • Russell Wilson took over as the quarterback in 2012.
    • The team won the Super Bowl in 2013 and made it back to the Super Bowl in 2014 but lost.
    • Lynch left after 2015. The team finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs. Chancellor, Avril, Bennett, and Sherman left after 2017. The team finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs. Baldwin and Thomas left after 2018.
    • The iteration of the team’s window basically ended in 2017 as the team did not really get comparable replacements for many of these aforementioned players (aside from Lockett replacing Baldwin’s role as the lead receiver for a few years).
  • 2018-2020/2021
    • The team didn’t have a have a true transition unless one wants to consider 2018 as technically a transition year despite it being a 10 win season.
    • This is the second Pete Carroll-Russell Wilson (Post-Marshawn Lynch/Legion of Boom) window. This window is led by Wilson, Wagner, and Carroll without the Legion of Boom (Sherman, Chancellor, and Thomas) and Lynch. The team also had Lockett, Shaquill Griffin (2017-2020), DK Metcalf (drafted in 2019), Duane Brown (came in 2017), Jamal Adams (came in 2020), and Quandre Diggs (came in 2020).
    • 2021 ended up being a transition year as Wilson missed time and the team only 7 games. Entering the year, it could be considered the final year of this window. Wilson, Brown, and Wagner left after 2021.
  • 2022-2026/2027
    • This is the third Pete Carroll (Post-Russell Wilson) window with Pete Carroll still being the coach. The team got draft picks from the Russell Wilson trade. Key players include Metcalf, Lockett, Diggs, Wagner (returned in 2023 but is here for now), and Adams (for now).
    • Other players that look to be key players now and moving forward include Kenneth Walker (drafted in 2022), Tariq Woolen (drafted in 2022), and Geno Smith (signed in 2019 but started in 2022).
    • We will see about the development of Charles Cross (drafted in 2023), Abraham Lucas (drafted in 2023), and the 2023 draft picks such as Devon Witherspoon and Jaxson Smith-Njigba as it pertains to whether this core fully becomes a window and for how long it last. 2023 and 2024 will confirm whether this becomes a window or not.

To check out the championship windows for AFC teams, click here.

What are your thoughts on these championship windows? Please let us know in the comment section below.

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