| Sport | American Football | ||
| League | American Football Association | ||
| Founded | 1952 | ||
| Teams | Chicago Butchers Cincinnati Guardians Cleveland Ghosts Detroit Gladiators | ||
| Most Recent Champion | Detroit Gladiators (11th title) | ||
| Most titles won by team | Detroit Gladiators (11) | ||
The Northern Division is one of six divisions that make up the American Football Association. The Northern Division was formed in 1952 when the Chicago Butchers, Guardians of Cincinnati, Cleveland Ghosts and Detroit Gladiators were moved from the Western Division.
The Butchers, Guardians, Ghosts and Gladiators have been part of the division for the entirety of its existence. From 1960 until 1966, the Milwaukee Wolves were part of that division as well before leaving to help form the Central Division.
Until 1975, the Northern Division had never had a wild-card playoff qualifier, making it the only division in the AFA without one. The second-place Detroit Gladiators ended that streak that season, finishing at 8–5–1 and qualifying for the #7 seed in the playoffs, losing their quarterfinal game to eventual Victory Bowl champions the Washington Wasps.
Division champions[]
| Season | Team | Record | Playoff Results |
| 1952 | Cleveland Ghosts | 7–4–1 | Won Semifinals, Lost Seventh Victory Bowl |
| 1953 | Detroit Gladiators | 6–4–2 | Lost Semifinals |
| 1954 | Cincinnati Guardians | 6–5–1 | Won Semifinals, Lost Ninth Victory Bowl |
| 1955 | Detroit Gladiators | 7–4–1 | Lost Semifinals |
| 1956 | Chicago Butchers | 6–4–2 | Won Semifinals, Won 11th Victory Bowl |
| 1957 | Cleveland Ghosts | 6–4–2 | Won Semifinals, Lost 12th Victory Bowl |
| 1958 | Cincinnati Guardians | 5–4–3 | Lost Semifinals |
| 1959 | Cleveland Ghosts | 7–4–1 | Won Semifinals, Won 14th Victory Bowl |
| 1960 | Detroit Gladiators | 8–4 | Won Semifinals, Lost 15th Victory Bowl |
| 1961 | Detroit Gladiators | 11–3 | Won Semifinals, Won 16th Victory Bowl |
| 1962 | Detroit Gladiators | 12–2 | Won Semifinals, Won 17th Victory Bowl |
| 1963 | Detroit Gladiators | 9–5 | Won Semifinals, Lost 18th Victory Bowl |
| 1964 | Detroit Gladiators | 13–1 | Won Semifinals, Won 19th Victory Bowl |
| 1965 | Detroit Gladiators | 9–4–1 | Won Semifinals, Lost 20th Victory Bowl |
| 1966 | Detroit Gladiators | 10–3–1 | Won Quarterfinals, Won Semifinals, Lost 21st Victory Bowl |
| 1967 | Cleveland Ghosts | 6–4–4 | Lost Quarterfinals |
| 1968 | Cleveland Ghosts | 13–1 | Lost Quarterfinals |
| 1969 | Cleveland Ghosts | 10–3–1 | Lost Quarterfinals |
| 1970 | Chicago Butchers | 7–5–2 | Lost Quarterfinals |
| 1971 | Cleveland Ghosts | 5–3–1^ | Lost Quarterfinals |
| 1972 | Cleveland Ghosts | 8–5–1 | Lost Quarterfinals |
| 1973 | Cleveland Ghosts | 9–5 | Won Quarterfinals, Lost Semifinals |
| 1974 | Detroit Gladiators | 9–4–1 | Lost Quarterfinals |
| 1975 | Chicago Butchers | 13–1 | Won Quarterfinals, Won Semifinals, Lost 30th Victory Bowl |
| 1976 | Detroit Gladiators | 9–5 | Lost Quarterfinals |
| 1977 | Detroit Gladiators | 10–4 | Lost Quarterfinals |
| 1978 | Detroit Gladiators | 9–4–1 | Lost Quarterfinals |
- ^ – Regular season reduced to nine games because of players' strike.
Wild Card qualifiers[]
| Season | Team | Record | Playoff Results |
| 1975 | Detroit Gladiators | 8–5–1 | Lost Quarterfinals |