The Seattle Seahawks trounced the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, the culmination of the most unpredictable NFL season in recent memory. Looking ahead to 2026, that same sense of mystery lingers. It feels like any number of teams could break through and claim the crown.
So, let's dive into the 30 non-Super Bowl teams and determine which are best positioned to crash the Super Bowl party in 2026, and which teams are still a long way off.
30. New York Jets
The Jets couldn't lose enough to win the Fernando Mendoza sweepstakes, which means their QB crisis remains unsolved. The Jets' defense did not live up to Aaron Glenn's reputation; in fact, there won't be a hotter seat in coaching when the season begins. No team mismanages personnel and undermines talent quite like New York. We are years away from the Jets amounting to anything, and that's accounting for some sort of miracle
29. Arizona Cardinals
Mike LaFleur is an exciting hire as head coach, but the Cardinals are expected to move on from Kyler Murray. This is the beginning of Arizona's rebuild, and lack of clarity at quarterback — not to mention the uneven development of Marvin Harrison and other key young pieces — means we should not expect much from the Cards in 2026. If LaFleur can get this team performing above its means and winning seven or eight games, that is success.
28. Miami Dolphins
Jeff Hafley is a fascinating coaching hire, but far from a sure thing. Miami will be looking for a new quarterback or starting Quinn Ewers. Neither outcome promotes immediate contention. The Dolphins' defense should perk up with Hafley in the building, but Miami needs to overhaul its roster first. There's still plenty of playmaking talent on the roster, and the Dolphins were better than expected over the second half of the season, but until there's a clear road to success at quarterback, fade Miami. That locker room was damaged goods in 2025.
27. Tennessee Titans
Despite the unassuming numbers, Cam Ward showed plenty of promise as a rookie. He should get more support this offseason, as the Titans front office has an ocean of cap space to work with. Robert Saleh is a tremendous coach and his presence should elevate the Titans defense tenfold compared to what we saw last season. It's still early — the Titans are probably a couple of years away from contention, at least — but Tennessee ought to start moving in the right direction now that Brian Callahan has been fully exorcised.
26. Cleveland Browns
Myles Garrett was the unanimous DPOY and Cleveland ranks among the best defenses in the NFL. Jim Schwartz's resignation as defensive coordinator is a potential snag, but the Browns should generate stops. It's the offense that figures to hold them back. Todd Monken was a deeply uninspired coaching hire. The QB situation remains as amorphous and unsettled as ever. Neither Shedeur Sanders nor Dillon Gabriel looks like an NFL regular. Deshaun Watson is a known commodity. The Browns will remain cursed in 2026.
25. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders will bring in Klint Kubiak after an incredible season in Seattle, calling plays for Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Raiders are at a steep disadvantage personnel-wise, but there's money to spend and Fernando Mendoza, the projected No. 1 overall pick, should deliver immediate results under center. Las Vegas is still a couple of years away if all goes well, but the future looks bright in Las Vegas — a new feeling for Raiders fans.
24. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers eked into the playoffs after winning a three-way tiebreaker in the NFC South. Carolina promptly gave the Rams a run for their money in the Wild Card round. This Panthers team consistently plays above its means, with Dave Canales every bit the real deal on the sideline. But until Carolina can find its Bryce Young successor, it's hard to envision the Panthers mounting a deep run. It really is that simple.
23. New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough dramatically outperformed expectations as a rookie. Kellen Moore found tremendous success as a playcaller and the Saints were a thorn in the side of better teams all season long. New Orleans is progressing quickly, and if Shough can build on his stellar debut, we could be talking about the Saints as an underdog threat in the NFC South. The defense is real, the offense shows clear promise. Still, the Saints are taking it slow. It'll be a few years before New Orleans is ready to earnestly contend.
22. New York Giants
Look, John Harbaugh is a future Hall of Famer and Jaxson Dart looks the part of a franchise quarterback. The Giants have a talented core on both sides of the football. There's something cooking here. That said, Dart's durability is already a major question mark and New York just lacks the depth, particularly on defense, to meaningfully contend in 2026. Especially in the NFC East.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
Are we sure the Steelers should even rank this high? Pittsburgh's defensive core is too old. Their offense last season was, as the kids might say, mid. Aaron Rodgers may or may not return, but long-term questions remain at QB either way. The Steelers' decades-long streak of .500-plus seasons could end with Mike Tomlin's departure. The Mike McCarthy hire was extremely depressing. If there is one silver lining, it's that McCarthy should help the offense perk up. Pittsburgh has a certain appeal to free agents and the Steelers are a veteran group. Just do not expect anything more than a first-round exit, per usual.
20. Washington Commanders
Dan Quinn gets a bad rap, but he took Atlanta to the Super Bowl and Washington to the NFC championship game. The latter was just a year ago. A healthy Jayden Daniels should help the Commanders offense, but it remains to be seen if Washington can add the youth and athleticism on defense to maximize Quinn's scheme. The WR room could use a facelift, too. Daniels' own progression is the swing factor, but the Commanders need to give him more support.
19. Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow is still Joe Burrow, which gives the Bengals a puncher's chance at doing something special. If he can stay healthy, Cincy will put points on the board with the best of 'em. Unfortunately, there is no reason to believe the Bengals can figure out their defense. Until Cincy finds more money to spend, or hits on a few difference-makers in the draft, their inability to prevent points will continue to undermine their ability to score points.
18. Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis was a borderline frontrunner in the AFC for half the season until a few bad losses and a season-ending Daniel Jones injury sent them tumbling out of the divisional race. Shane Steichen has proven his mettle as an offensive mastermind, and the Colts have Super Bowl-caliber personnel on both ends. But what happens at quarterback? Jones is hurt — and a free agent. We know this coaching staff does not trust Anthony Richardson. Indianapolis needs to mend the cracks that emerged late in the year and find a suitable QB, at least to pinch start until Jones returns.
17. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas is armed with more than enough firepower on offense, but the defense was a disaster in 2025. Jerry Jones shot himself in the foot with the Micah Parsons trade and has done little to suggest that he can engineer to necessary additions to overcome such a loss. Jones is one of the league's most reckless roster builders. Dallas should continue to put up points, especially if George Pickens re-signs. But until the Cowboys can put up resistance on the other side, the NFC East crown will elude them.
16. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings won 14 games a year ago. The decision to dump Sam Darnold and elevate J.J. McCarthy proved disastrous. Minnesota's offense is still talent-rich, with a top-shelf playcaller in Kevin O'Connell. Does it matter if McCarthy is still the quarterback, though? The Vikings could reunite with Kirk Cousins or Daniel Jones in free agency, but neither is an ideal solution — at least for the immediate future. The Vikings are more than capable of outperforming this ranking, especially given the strength of their defense, but until the QB situation is clarified, Minnesota is a smart fade.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa has the benefit of a winnable division and the power of precedent. A second-half 2025 collapse allows doubt to creep into the equation, but this team has been so solid under Todd Bowles, with Baker Mayfield continually underrated among the NFL's great quarterbacks. The Bucs were deeply average on both sides of the football last season, but Tampa has too much talent and too long a track record to fully doubt. Is this team a Super Bowl contender, truly? Probably not. But Tampa should compete for the division crown and stay on the NFC periphery.
14. Atlanta Falcons
The Kevin Stefanski hire should seriously excite Falcons fans. Atlanta finally has a coach who will embrace Bijan Robinson's superpowers and find creative ways to deploy the Falcons' wealth of first-round picks on offense. The defense made significant strides last season and Jeff Ulbrich will stick around to call plays. If not for the lack of clarity at quarterback, with Michael Penix hurt and Kirk Cousins on the chopping block, the Falcons would be an easy pick to win the division. If Atlanta can find a passable signal-caller, there is significant untapped potential.
13. Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City won six games, Patrick Mahomes is recovering from a torn ACL, the core of the roster is old and worn down, and several contributors are slated to hit free agency. Given the complicated nature of Kansas City's cap situation, it's hard to envision exactly how the Chiefs recover from this. On the other hand, Mahomes is still the QB at the end of the day, and Andy Reid is still the head coach. If Kansas City can tread water until Mahomes is back, never say never. Dynasties don't die easily.
12. Chicago Bears
The Cardiac Bears were quite the storyline in 2025. Ben Johnson lived up to the hype, not only with his playcalling but also with his fiery persona and his fearless provocation. No coach is so unafraid to talk s**t, and even fewer can back it up on the field. Caleb Williams took a huge leap. The Bears were remarkably poised under pressure. The most clutch team in football. Their recipe for success hinged on several fourth quarter comebacks, however, and it's unclear how sustainable it is. Chicago's offense should chug right along, maybe even improve, but the defense is a major question mark.
11. Houston Texans
Houston won nine straight to close out the regular season. The Texans' defense ranked best in the AFC. No team made life more uncomfortable for their opponents. Unfortunately, the offense just lags behind the real heavyweights. CJ Stroud bombed in the playoffs. It's unclear if he's the real franchise QB Houston needs to get over the hump. The Texans should continue to pummel opponents and breeze through the regular season, but unless Stroud meaningfully improves, the Texans are operating at a disadvantage.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars flew under the radar all season, emerging as one of the most complete and successful football teams in the league. Josh Allen did Josh Allen things in the first round, but the Jags' future is bright with Liam Coen at the commands. Trevor Lawrence finally started to look like a franchise quarterback, especially late in the season. Jacksonville has a complicated offseason ahead of it, but the Jags are a lovable — and believable — underdog.
9. Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh has set the Chargers' floor extremely high. Justin Herbert is a bonafide superstar, whether the postseason résumé backs it up or not. That said, the Chargers just did not let Herbert cook often enough in 2025. That should change with Mike McDaniel calling the shots now. Losing DC Jesse Minter to Baltimore is a tough blow, but Harbaugh's stabilizing presence and McDaniel's new-age ingenuity should elevate L.A. to new heights moving forward. Herbert is positioned for a proper breakthrough. Do not sleep on the Chargers.
8. Detroit Lions
Detroit fell apart late and missed the playoffs in their first campaign without Ben Johnson, but the Lions' roster is still stacked across the board. Dan Campbell's reputation is what it is for a reason. If the Lions are blessed with better injury luck, especially on defense, there's no reason Detroit can't rebound and win the division, maybe even the whole damn thing. There's a good chance the Lions are laughably underrated coming into 2026 based on wonky results from a snakebitten season. Don't let the noise fool you.
7. San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan remains one of the sharpest offensive minds in the NFL. His team has loads of talent and should face fewer devastating injuries in 2026. That's how the law of averages works, right? Brock Purdy is not the most believable franchise quarterback, but he's been to the Super Bowl once before. If the Niners can get their defense up to speed and perhaps add a bit to the wide receiver room, San Francisco will have as good a chance as any team to dethrone Seattle in the NFC.
6. Baltimore Ravens
This past season was a forgettable one in Baltimore, but new head coach Jesse Minter figures to reinvigorate a lax defense. Declan Doyle comes over from Chicago and the Ben Johnson tree to call plays for Lamar Jackson, which seems like a smart investment. So much of winning a Super Bowl is winning the QB battle. Jackson is a two-time MVP, arguably the best in the NFL at his position when operating at full capacity. Derrick Henry is still a bulldozer. The Ravens are so much more talented than last season's record would suggest. Do not be shocked if ditching John Harbaugh was the shot in the arm Baltimore needed.
5. Green Bay Packers
Patience in Matt LaFleur is beginning to wear thin, but the Packers' offense is downright explosive. Jordan Love made the superstar leap in 2025 and the roster around him should only improve in 2026. Green Bay needs to put a better defensive product on the field, which could be challenging after Jeff Hafley's departure. But once Micah Parsons gets back up to speed, the Packers will profile as one of the most dangerous teams in football.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles' offense was an abject disaster in 2025, but new playcaller Sean Mannion comes from a promising lineage in Green Bay. The Kevin Patullo era is mercifully over, meaning the Eagles feel like a safe bet to improve on what was still a first-place team. Howie Roseman is the best GM in football. He will find value on the margins and beef up what is still the best all-around roster in the NFC. Don't trust Nick Sirianni? Fair enough. But the Eagles just need to achieve baseline competence on offense to skyrocket up the NFL hierarchy.
3. Denver Broncos
Perhaps this is over-indexing 2025 success, but Denver was the No. 1 seed in the AFC and potentially a Bo Nix injury away from the Super Bowl. This Broncos defense is suffocating, especially in the backfield, and Sean Payton gets the most out of his personnel on offense. Is Nix really the guy to get Denver over the hump? That remains to be seen, but the Broncos strike the right balance of responsibility across the board. Denver feels like a safe bet to at least be in the mix again next season.
2. Buffalo Bills
There are plenty of questions surrounding this Buffalo team, from a leaky defense to the lame decision to replace Sean McDermott with his former assistant, Joe Brady. That internal promotion shouldn't hurt Josh Allen, however, and that's reason enough to maintain confidence in the Bills. Allen holds the crown for "NFL's best player" right now. He put forth another superhuman effort in the postseason. If Buffalo can give him even a little bit more support in 2026, this could be the year that Allen and the long-suffering Bills Mafia finally break through.
1. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams put up a strong fight against Seattle in the NFC Championship Game and, on balance, profiled as the best offensive team in the NFL last season. The defense could use a facelift, and Matthew Stafford is another year older, but it's hard to doubt the wealth of talent on this Rams roster. Especially with Sean McVay calling the shots. Los Angeles was far and away the best non-Super Bowl team this season. All signs point to L.A. running it back with a real shot at the Lombardi in 2026. Stafford is timeless.