Why are the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South and the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East?

Answer 1

The Cowboys entered the NFL in 1960 and were originally placed in the Western division. Over the years, they have developed rivalries with those teams that were in the Eastern division, namely the Giants, Eagles, and Redskins. So when realignment was done, it only made sense to keep the Cowboys in a division where their rivals played.

Answer 2

It's because of tradition. The Cowboys have been in the same division with the New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins for six decades. It has been a successful set of rivalries, so the National Football League isn't about to change things anytime soon.

Answer 3

The Carolina Panthers were an expansion team, and placed in the NFC West when they joined the league, because that was the only division with room. Later when the league realigned the divisions in 2002, the Panthers were placed in the NFC South with Atlanta and New Orleans, which had also been in the West, and Tampa Bay, which had previously been in the NFC Central.

Dallas was kept in the NFC East because the Cowboys have longstanding rivalries with the Washington Redskins, the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles.