After an exhilarating 2025 season and a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX, with the Seahawks claiming the Vince Lombardi Trophy, whose 2026 season is looking the brightest? Will we see the Seahawks and Patriots return to the Super Bowl LXI, or will someone else come to dethrone the NFC and AFC champions?
Honorable Mention: Kansas City Chiefs
The undeniable truth is that the Kansas City Chiefs have not fallen from their prime. After dominating the AFC for nearly a decade, with playoff appearances every year since 2014, five Super Bowl appearances and three Lombardi trophies since 2020, many fans accepted defeat and gave up on the Chiefs after the future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, tore his ACL, leading to a disappointing 6-11 record last season. However, I believe that in 2026, we will see the Chiefs return to form. After promising news of a swift recovery from Patrick Mahomes, re-signing the future Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce and signing the Super Bowl LX MVP running back Kenneth Walker III, things are looking up for the Chiefs.
#5: Buffalo Bills
Now, if you want to talk about a team with clear strengths and clear issues, look no further than the Buffalo Bills. Arguably, one of the best quarterbacks last year was Josh Allen. Ever since the Bills brought Allen on, the Bills have not had a single losing record. But a team cannot win on offense alone. Last season, the Bills had a miserable defensive record, especially highlighted by their 20th-ranked pass rush defense. Through key signings like the defensive end Bradley Chubb, the Bills are looking to bring their defense up a notch while still prioritizing the offensive powerhouse Josh Allen. If the Bills are able to bring their defense even close to the level of their offense, I have no doubt that they will be able to improve their already strong 12-5 record.
#4: San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a team that, if they were in any other division, would shine above their rivals, but the NFC West is proving to be the most competitive division in the back half of the 2020s. Even through their injury-ridden season, the 49ers earned a 12-5 record, securing their place in the divisional round. With key players like quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Christian McCaffery and tight end George Kittle, the 49ers could create an amazing 2026 season. The only thing keeping the 49ers this low is the fact that the NFC West hosts what I believe to be the top two teams going into the 2026 season.
#3: New England Patriots
Mike Vrabel did wonders for this team in his first season as the Patriots’ Head Coach. He brought the Patriots from a horrendous 3-14 record in 2024-25 to making it to the Super Bowl, tied for the best regular season record in the league, going 14-3. With one of last season’s best quarterbacks, Drake Maye, and many more solid players, you may be wondering why I have the Patriots held back at third. The main concern with the Patriots is that many considered last season’s record was won by luck and not skill. While I believe this is a mostly unfounded problem with the Patriots, it is true that they will be going up against one of the hardest schedules next year, with notable away games against the aforementioned Kansas City Chiefs and Super Bowl LX champion Seattle Seahawks.
#2: Los Angeles Rams
When it comes to the best quarterback and wide receiver pairing, the Rams are where it’s at. The Associated Press NFL MVP Matthew Stafford and Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year finalist Puka Nacua demonstrated expert offensive playmaking. The Rams charged throughout the regular season, going 12-5 against some of the strongest teams in the league. The Rams’ season culminated in the heated NFC Championship game against the Seahawks, a rematch of what many consider to be the game of the year. The week 16 matchup between the Rams and the Seahawks displayed 2025’s number one offense, the Rams, against the number one defense, the Seahawks. The Rams proved that, true to their name, they were a seemingly unstoppable force on offense; however, they were halted by the immovable object.
#1: Seattle Seahawks
Without a doubt, the Seattle Seahawks are the team to watch in 2026. In a dramatic return to form, the Seahawks earned a franchise best record of 14-3, and once again took to the throne as both the strongest defense in the NFL and the Super Bowl champions. In what many consider to be the reforming of the Legion of Boom, the newly named Dark Side kept their opponents to an outstanding 15.6 points per game. While the defensive side of the ball is where the Seahawks shine, key players like the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver Rashid Shaheed and running backs Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet dominate the offense, scoring on average 28.2 points per game. While the loss of Walker III will hurt the running back corps, many of the key defensive players in the Dark Side are ready and excited to run it back, such as defensive tackle Leonard Williams, commenting on the possibility of a post-Super Bowl win trade, “I’m not f****** leaving!”
