Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- This season features ten veteran stars each fighting to cement their legacies with one final defining run.
- Some must prove they can deliver on the biggest stage while others chase historic benchmarks many thought were already secured.
- The outcomes will reshape Hall of Fame conversations and redefine what we think we knew about these players' careers.
We are looking at one of the most interesting NFL seasons in a while. This 2026 season is interesting because we have zero clue who might be great and who could be bad. The New Orleans Saints could easily win the NFC South or win three games. C.J. Stroud could turn the Texans into the best team in the NFL, or if he plays as he did in the playoffs, he could have them going after Arch Manning. The New York Giants could be the uprising team in the NFC, or they could play about as well as John Harbaugh’s opening speech.
The main reason for the elements of the season that are so interesting is how last season ended. Drake Maye took on Sam Darnold in the Super Bowl, taking out a ton of the star power that’s been driving the NFL. Many of those players who didn’t make the Super Bowl are our usual stars.
Those stars have something to prove this season, but there are a few clear examples at the top of the list.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
There is no player in the league with more to prove this season than Patrick Mahomes. He was on a trajectory to pass Joe Montana, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning as the best quarterback in the history of the league. Last year was the first year when everything was worth questioning. Mahomes could not lead the Kansas City Chiefs to playoff contention. There were more excuses than ever.
Then, Mahomes tore his ACL. For the first time in his career, there were questions about the trajectory of Mahomes’ career. We just expected him to, like Brady, dominate the league through his 30s and possibly into his 40s. He turns 31 at the beginning of next season, and we expected to get another decade of Mahomes dominance.
This season, Mahomes has to prove he can be that superstar. We all know that Brady was sort of mediocre in the season after his torn ACL in 2009, but the recovery for ACL tears has improved. Mahomes will have more expectations laid upon him. The Chiefs need to make the playoffs to secure their legacy after a season out of the contention conversation. Mahomes' legacy is on the line. Can he be the best of all time? He hasn't done enough yet to be in that conversation.
2. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
There is so much here when it comes to Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is the first season in some teenagers’ lifetimes that Mike Tomlin is not the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Taking over is a family name to Rodgers: Mike McCarthy. At the same time, Rodgers is 42 years old. He’ll be 43 by the time the playoffs start. This is already a rarity for a quarterback to remain a starter this late in their career.
Rodgers is looking to go out on a high note. So many of the greats play until the wheels fall off. While that is admirable as an action, seeing it after the wheels are off is basically a car wreck. Rodgers doesn’t want that. He wants one more great moment.
Rodgers has already hurt his overall stature in the league with some of his strange actions over the past six or seven years. He was once a beloved name and four-time league MVP. Now, he has some reputation revival happening. His time with the New York Jets was disastrous. His role on the Steelers has been better, but one more run would change his perception. He’s kept him name clear for a few years, and people might be ready to root for the old guy making a run in the AFC.
3. Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants
One of the underrated storylines of this offseason is Odell Beckham Jr. returning to the New York Giants. It’s been a long time since Beckham has been truly relevant. In fact, he hasn’t been considered one of the best players in the league since leaving the Giants in 2019. His career has gone off the rails somewhat. He’s still a big name, but that’s about it.
And here’s what’s really interesting about this entry. Beckham is nowhere near Hall of Fame contention. His superstardom is unlike anything we’ve seen in a long time, when he was at his peak from 2014-2016, but it’s been a battle ever since.
Yet, he can still earn his way into the Hall of Fame. This is what’s crazy about the NFL. It truly is “what have you done for me lately?” If the Giants get even a 33-year-old version of the superstar we used to know, then Beckham can change his legacy. If he gets over that 1,000-yard threshold with Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo, and John Harbaugh to lift the Giants back to relevance, he could be a Hall of Famer.
4. Myles Garrett, Los Angeles Rams
The earth under the feet of the NFL shifted when Myles Garrett was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year was sent to one of the favorites in the NFC. What could the man who now owns the sack record have to prove in the NFL?
Well, he has to prove he can do it when it matters. Garrett has three playoff games in his career, and he has one sack in those three games. It’s not his fault that he hasn’t been in high-leverage situations. The Browns essentially wasted this dude’s prime. However, he has a chance to finally show he can do it on the biggest stage.
Garrett doesn’t need to prove it, but it will always be part of his legacy if he doesn’t get something of significance done in the playoffs. He’s largely gotten a pass because his situation never warranted a playoff run. Now, he’s expected to win the Super Bowl. If he falls short, no matter how short, it will feel like a failure. That’s a much different situation as it was in Cleveland.
5. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Sticking with the Rams, Matthew Stafford is another player who we think is in the Hall of Fame, but he hasn’t secured that spot yet. The reigning NFL MVP is incredibly close to MVP status, but with his career in its final years, he needs one more great playoff performance to put him over the top.
Right now, Stafford sits sixth in passing yards, and he won’t move from that position this season. He’s behind Aaron Rodgers and too far from Brett Favre to put up enough yards to pass him. He should pass Philip Rivers for sixth in passing touchdowns. Those numbers are probably enough to get Stafford in Canton. Hitting top 10 in all of the best passing stats should get you there. Stafford just never felt like the best guy in the league.
Even last year, when he won MVP, he still feels like he is behind guys like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson. Stafford always felt like the guy who “got lucky” with everything he earned. One more year where he’s a superstar, and if he walks away on top (especially if he wins another Super Bowl), then he’s making the Hall of Fame.
6. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is another quarterback whom we assume will make the Hall of Fame, but he’s missing that marquee moment. Despite being one of, if not the best, quarterbacks in the game for a few years, Allen has not sniffed a Super Bowl. He hasn’t even made it to one. And somehow, Allen has lost in the worst possible fashion. In his first playoff game, he lost in overtime to the Texans in January 2020. He lost to the Chiefs in overtime in 2022 after Mahomes led a 44-yard drive in 13 seconds to set up a game-tying field goal as time expired. He lost by a field goal to the Chiefs in 2024 and 2025, and then, with the Chiefs missing the playoffs last season, Allen’s team lost to the Broncos in overtime in the Divisional Round.
Allen’s legacy cannot survive another playoff failure. At this point, he has to hope and pray that he can have a John Elway late-career resurgence. The Bills have another good team, adding DJ Moore at receiver and building around Allen, but it still feels like they didn’t do enough.
The biggest change was letting go of Sean McDermott and replacing him with offensive coordinator Joe Brady. It was a controversial decision, but it was one that has us all paying attention. Now, there’s nobody else to blame except Allen if it goes wrong. However, if it works out and Allen wins the big one, then he’s a solidified Hall of Famer.
7. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
Christian McCaffrey has felt like one of the best running backs in the game for years now. He was drafted eighth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. The 2023 Offensive Player of the Year feels like he should be a Hall of Famer. Everything seems to be moving in that direction. However, it’s not as obvious as it might seem.
McCaffrey has led the league in touches three times, but he’s only led the league in rushing once. He really has three great seasons. The rest of his career is kind of mediocre. Obviously, the injuries are really impacting his legacy. Now he’s 30 years old, and now he hasn’t done enough to get into Canton.
He’s ranked 63rd all-time in rushing. Ironically, he is probably going to pass Hall of Famer Terrell Davis this season, but the other names he’ll pass include Chris Warren, James Brooks, and Stephen Davis. There’s precedent for a player of McCaffrey’s stature to keep himself out of the Hall. Priest Holmes is the most prevalent example. He was the best in the game, but it didn’t last long enough. McCaffrey needs that fourth superstar season.
8. Mike Evans, San Francisco 49ers
Another guy who is “on the cusp” just became McCaffrey’s teammate. Mike Evans has the most interesting and underrated career. His most famous accomplishment was getting to 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first 11 seasons. Last year, injuries took away his streak, but he was still a very effective receiver.
Somehow, despite his consistency and production, Evans is not considered on the Hall of Fame trajectory yet. He even has his Super Bowl, joining Tom Brady’s twilight run in Tampa that led to a championship. So, Evans got his ring, and now he’s looking for another.
If Evans retired instead of signing with the 49ers, would he be a Hall of Famer? Right now, Evans is 21st all-time in receiving yards. He is going to pass Hall of Famers Steve Largent and Andre Reed this season, but there are some interesting names ahead of them. Torry Holt (17th), Henry Ellard (15th), and Anquan Boldin (13th) are all not in the Hall of Fame and likely not getting in. If Evans has another 1,000-yard season, then he will be in 12th place all-time, right behind Andre Johnson. If that happens, Evans is a Hall of Famer.
9. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Many were shocked when Mr. Taylor Swift returned to the NFL this season. Mahomes is hurt, and the Chiefs aren’t going for a three-peat. However, he has a real chance to put himself into rarified air. Kelce is 87 yards behind Evans. So, if he has another big season, like 1,200 yards, he’ll pass Andre Johnson. He’s about 2,000 yards away from Tony Gonzalez for the most yards ever by a tight end, so he’s not likely getting that before he walks away, but a big season will go a long way with cementing his legacy.
See, Kelce had a rough season last year. He was probably the biggest issue with the Chiefs last season. No matter what changed on the Chiefs’ roster, Kelce was always a game-changer. Last year, something was off the entire time.
Yet, the numbers kind of make sense. Kelce hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season in three years. And it wasn’t really because of injuries. He just kind of fell off. However, every once in a while we see a player who dominated for years have that one final season where they end things on a strong note. Kelce can put himself in the conversation with Gonzalez and Rob Gronkowski as the best tight end of all time with one more great season and an even better postseason.
10. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
The T.J. Watt conversion is so interesting because he was expected to live up to his brother’s legacy, but the past few seasons have not gone well. Watt has led the league in sacks for three seasons in his career, but he hasn’t been dominant in three seasons. Last season, he had seven sacks in 14 games. That’s not the T.J. Watt we’re used to.
The four-time first-team All-Pro is looking to put himself in the conversation with the best sack artists in history. He has 115 sacks already, which means he’s 75 sacks from the record owned by Bruce Smith. Watt is 31 years old, so he has some career left in him, but he can’t have any more seven-sack seasons.
To get even close to Bruce Smith, Watt needs to essentially get 15 sacks over the next six seasons. That doesn’t sound impossible. However, it has to start with a big season this year. With a new head coach for the first time in Watt’s career, it will be interesting to see if there’s any impact to his statistics.
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