The AFC North features the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. All four rosters have strengths and weaknesses, which it is why it is anyone's guess as to which franchise will come out on top at the end of the 2025 campaign. The divisional matchups are always close, regardless of what the records are of the teams that are facing off. Injuries have the unfortunate ability to completely change the complexion of one of the toughest division's in football, as has already been seen with the awkward toe injury that Joe Burrow suffered, potentially keeping him out the entire year.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers' edge rusher Nick Herbig gets a strip-sack on Joe Burrow as the defense gets a scoop and score against the Bengals in 2024 during a game in Cincinnati, OH.
Anytime a starting quarterback is placed on Injured Reserve (IR), especially one with Burrow's talents, it's going to change the way fans and analysts alike look at that team's chances of being successful. The Bengals have a lot of money invested into the offense, but it's going to be difficult to get the best out of the unit when the leader of the group is out for three months or longer.
The Browns have a stout defense, but it's fair to remain skeptical that the organization will find a way to be in the mix to win the AFC North come December. That would lead many to believe that the Ravens and Steelers are going to be battling for the crown once again. In Baltimore, a 1-2 start isn't being looked at as ideal, and it doesn't help that the Kansas City Chiefs are due up next.
Baltimore prides itself on defense, similarly to Pittsburgh, and during a Week 2 game against the Browns, the Ravens had a defender suffer an injury that could alter how the unit performs moving forward. Two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike has something wrong with his neck, and Head Coach John Harbaugh sounded concerned during his most recent press conference.
"I would say I am concerned about it," Harbaugh said. "I'm not really in a position to comment on it right now. I haven't been given the 'okay' to comment on it at this point. He's not going to play [in Week 4], I'll tell you that. We're going have to see going forward when [the medical staff] knows what they know."
There wasn't too much information provided about the defensive lineman ahead of the Ravens' Week 3 contest with the Detroit Lions, but Baltimore allowed 224 rushing yards. The defense looked unprepared and got taken advantage of. Madubike is in his second season of a massive four-year, $98 million extension. He is one of the most important players on defense for Harbaugh, and the update on his injury, due to it being a neck issue, is scary and concerning.
The Lounge Podcast
Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike sits down during a podcast appearance.
Fans should never be rooting for injuries to players on opposing teams, but the reality in the AFC North currently is that the Ravens' defense has not looked great, and now one of its most impactful individuals has something going on that is being kept on the down-low in Baltimore. The Steelers don't play against the Ravens until Week 14, but it's possible that Baltimore loses more games than it should prior to then if someone like Madubuike misses multiple weeks, or months.
Ravens were missing their entire starting defensive line on Wednesday: Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones and Broderick Washington.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) September 24, 2025
Baltimore was down to six DL (four are on the practice squad):
John Jenkins
Aeneas Peebles
Brent Urban*
C.J. Okoye*
Josh Tupou*
Taven Bryan*
*-PS pic.twitter.com/oQsSCUNVl3
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had second-year wide receiver Jalen McMillan suffer a scary neck injury in August, and he is currently on IR. There is no exact timetable for his return, but the precedent set is that medical staffs need to be very careful when it comes to players' necks and/or spinal areas. Some things are much bigger than football, and Harbaugh's comments about Madubuike speak volumes about the potential severity.
Joe Sargent / Getty Images
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) and Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh talk during warmups before the game at Heinz Field on September 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Steelers Want To Beat The Best To Be The Best
It's possible that a neck injury could land Madubuike on season-ending IR, but fans across the league will wait to get a more certifiable update from Harbaugh. Regardless, Pittsburgh doesn't want to simply beat Baltimore with key players on the sidelines. Getting prepared for the postseason means defeating opponents at their very bests. Unfortunately, the Ravens could be without one of their biggest contributors for some time.
Do you think that the Madubuike injury changes the AFC North's outlook? Let us know in the comments below!
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