Every NFL fan base wants to head into the season with hopes of a championship at the end of the year, but we know there's only a handful of teams with a realistic shot at winning the Super Bowl.
That doesn't need to stop us from thinking about what it would take for all 32 clubs to have a chance at the Lombardi Trophy, though, no matter how outlandish the scenario might be.
From the few teams with a true shot at the title, to the middling teams who could shock the world, to the cellar-dwellers who would need some kind of miracle to make it happen, here's a path for each of the league's 32 teams to finish their 2026 season with the biggest win of all:
Arizona Cardinals
Prime Larry Fitzgerald Returns, and Brings Marvin Harrison Jr.'s Dad
Okay, so even this probably wouldn't help. The Cards are my pick to score the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, so this roster is more than a couple of pass-catching legends away from a championship. But it would at least be entertaining to see No. 11 back in the desert making highlight-reel catches, and watching both Harrisons line up alongside one another.
Atlanta Falcons
The Football Gods Feel Guilty for 28-3
When you choke so badly in the Super Bowl that it becomes a cultural catch-phrase, it's bound to leave a mark. That's what Tom Brady's legendary comeback has done to the Dirty Birds, who have never been closer to the Lombardi Trophy than that fateful 25-point lead, neither before nor since. This roster doesn't look ready to compete for one this year (barring a few stars), but if the football gods grow a conscience over what happened that night, they could make the ball bounce the right way enough times to set things right.
Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson Stays Healthy
This one's pretty straightforward, as we've seen what happens when Lamar Jackson is fully healthy and has a capable supporting cast. The two-time (should've been three-time) MVP should benefit from an improved defense under new head coach Jesse Minter, and some key offseason additions to the roster on both sides of the ball. Jackson and the Ravens will be highly motivated after a disappointing, injury-riddled 2025 campaign, but they have everything they need to win it all this year.
Buffalo Bills
Defense Somehow Improves Without Sean McDermott
There's enough talent on this offense to put up a ton of points this season, but if the Bills want to finally bring home the big prize, they'll have to do it with complementary football. It's a tall task to ask this unit to be better in Joe Brady's first season as an NFL head coach than they were under McDermott, but that's what it'll take to get Buffalo out of a loaded AFC and over the hump.
Carolina Panthers
The Rest of the NFL Magically Becomes As Mediocre as the NFC South
It wouldn't be surprising if the Panthers repeated as NFC South champs this season, depending on how injuries and other things fall for the other teams in their division, so earning another home playoff game is realistic. But if they want to get past that point, the rest of the league is going to have to take a massive step down to their level, allowing Carolina to match up more fairly with the cream of the crop in the later rounds of the postseason.
Chicago Bears
Injuries for Thee, but Not for Me
If the Bears stay healthy this season, there's no reason they can't be right in the middle of the Super Bowl conversation at the end of the year. They're the mot promising team on paper in the NFC North, and the only thing that would keep them from realizing their full potential and getting a crack at the Lombardi Trophy would be a critical injury to a key player. If that doesn't happen, and teams like the Rams and Seahawks do sustain a couple of key injuries, the path is wide open.
Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow Stays Healthy, and the Defense is Half-Decent
If the Bengals can keep Burrow protected and healthy all year long, they should have one of the best offenses in the league. They quietly had a much-improved defense down the stretch last season, too, and the addition of Dexter Lawrence in the trenches should ensure that upward trend continues. Burrow and his cast of elite playmakers, with a capable defense, is a recipe for a championship in Cincy.
Cleveland Browns
The 2026 NFL Season Takes Place in the Draft Day Movie Universe
If Sonny Weaver Jr. is calling the shots in Cleveland, with an offense led by underrated quarterback Bryan Drew and big-play running back Ray Jennings, and a defense anchored by pass-rushing menace Vontae Mack, the Browns have a shot at winning their first Super Bowl. But we live in this universe, where Cleveland taking home the Lombardi is as likely as Bo Callahan's teammates showing up to his 21st birthday party.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dallas Cowboys
Defense Delivers
Dak Prescott has a decent chance to throw for over 5,000 yards this season, and Javonte Williams should be in line for another productive year anchoring the backfield. But if the Cowboys want to be more than just a high-flying offense that puts up a ton of points, they'll need the defense to pull their weight. I'm big on the impact rookie defensive back Caleb Downs will make for this unit, but it'll come down to a consistent pass rush and taking the ball away for Dallas to have the kind of complete team it takes to win a championship.
Denver Broncos
Bo Nix Takes the Next Step
The Broncos have arguably the best defense in the NFL right now, and there's plenty of offensive firepower. What they need is a capable quarterback who can take full advantage of all the talent around him, make sound decisions with the football, balancing aggressive shots for big plays with avoiding backbreaking turnovers. Nix has shown flashes of that kind of ability, but coming off a serious injury, he'll have to prove he can not only get back to full strength, but take his game to another level if the Broncos want to win it all this year.
Detroit Lions
Ben Johnson Comes Back
I hate to say it, but Dan Campbell was right to warn his team after blowing a 24-7 halftime lead in the NFC title game that this was as close as his guys might ever get to winning a Super Bowl. That's the harsh reality of in the NFL, and Johnson's departure to Chicago might have been the end of Detroit's championship window. Instead of striking while the iron was hot, Lions fans are more likely to watch Johnson hoist the Lombardi for their division rivals than to see Campbell bring one home for them.
Green Bay Packers
Pretend it's the Regular Season in the Playoffs
Few teams in the NFL have had more success in the regular season than the Packers during Matt LaFleur's tenure as head coach, but that's yet to translate into postseason success. The secret, obviously, is for Green Bay to switch gears and underperform in the regular season, barely scratching their way into a wild-card spot before stepping up their game to make a deep playoff run. Nothing a little reverse psychology can't fix, right?
Mark Hoffman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud Returns to His Rookie-Year Form
Head coach DeMeco Ryans already leads one of the league's most dominant defenses, and Stroud proved with his stellar rookie season what he's capable of bringing to the other side of the ball. If the new additions to the offensive line can improve things in the trenches, Stroud should be able to take full advantage of his many playmakers. Add that to what the defense brings to the table, and Houston could have one of the more balanced and complete teams in the league all year long.
Indianapolis Colts
Rewind to Mid-Season 2025 and Try Again
At the midway point last year, the Colts were rolling, and made a bold trade for a star cornerback in Sauce Gardner. But after sending off multiple first-round picks, Indy fell off the wagon, sputtering down the stretch and losing quarterback Daniel Jones to a season-ending Achilles injury. This year's roster isn't any better than last year's, so they'll find it even more challenging to get back to where they were, even if Jones stays healthy this time around.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Make Throwback Uniforms Permanent
The Jags have some of the league's worst, most boring uniforms right now, but back in the day, they had one of the best looks in the entire league. They've been smart enough to bring back the "Prowlers" throwback uniforms in recent years, but if they want to finally bring home the first Super Bowl win in franchise history, trading in their bland, lifeless current threads for their old look on a permanent basis should bring instant favor from the football gods. Look good, feel good. Feel good, play good.
Kansas City Chiefs
Good Luck, Bad Luck
If the Chiefs want to get back to where they were at the height of their dynasty, it's gonna take a handful of things to fall their way, and the same things to go against the long list of teams that stand in their way. They need Patrick Mahomes to stay healthy, a new WR1 to emerge, a steady left tackle to establish himself, the defense to maintain a high level of play, and the ball to bounce their way plenty. It's hard to bet against Mahomes, but he'll need a ton of outside help to get this team back to the top.
Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Las Vegas Raiders
Substitute their Schedule for Indiana's 2025 Slate
Last year, Fernando Mendoza led the Hoosiers to an undefeated season and the first national title in program history. The only way for him to repeat that kind of success in Vegas this season would be to let the Raiders play against Big Ten competition most of the way, before finishing with a College Football Playoff run instead of the gauntlet that will be the AFC West and the NFL postseason. Not gonna lie, watching Maxx Crosby go up against college offensive tackles would be entertaining.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Defense Survives Jesse Minter's Departure
If the offensive line stays healthy, Justin Herbert and the offense shouldn't have any trouble putting up a ton of yards and points this season. But if the Chargers want to go the distance, it'll come down to the other side of the ball, where they'll have to replace one of the league's better coordinators in Minter, who left to be the Ravens' head coach. Chris O'Leary's only experience as a defensive coordinator came last year at Western Michigan, so it's a tough ask to assume he'll immediately be able to replicate what Minter's unit did.
Los Angeles Rams
Just Don't Get Hurt
On paper, the Rams obviously have the best team in the league right now. They were already strong Super Bowl candidates before acquiring Myles Garrett, but the addition of the NFL's most dominant defensive player only makes them that much scarier. But we've seen plenty of teams fall short of preseason expectations due to injury, and that's the only thing that's likely to keep the Rams from living up to their potential. Unless someone like Garrett or defending MVP Matthew Stafford misses extensive time, the Rams should be favorites the whole way.
Miami Dolphins
Malik Willis Becomes a Superstar
I don't think the Dolphins will be as bad as most people expect, thanks to some stellar core veterans and an influx of young talent in a deep draft class. But it all comes down to Willis, who gets another crack at being a full-time starter since the Titans threw him to the wolves as a third-round rookie. He looked much more ready for the moment in limited work for the Packers recently, and if he takes his game to a new level in 2026, the sky's the limit for what should be a surprising team.
Minnesota Vikings
Kevin O'Connell Does It Again with Kyler Murray
If every veteran quarterback who does a stint with O'Connell turns into the best version of themselves, Murray should be in for a stellar 2026 campaign. Things haven't gone so well for a younger, more developmental project in J.J. McCarthy, but giving O'Connell another veteran pupil could lead to similar results to the 14-win season Sam Darnold enjoyed in Minnesota. Brian Flores should have the defense playing at a high level as always, and if Murray maximizes his talents in O'Connell's system, the Vikings could make a title run.
New England Patriots
Defense Matches Offense
Last year, the Pats made it all the way to the Super Bowl despite an inconsistent defense that struggled when Milton Williams wasn't in the lineup. The offense should be even better in Drake Maye's third season, especially with the addition of AJ Brown at wide receiver, but the defense will need to stay healthy and match their level of play if they want to repeat as AFC East champs and make it through the gauntlet that will meet them in the playoffs. They're not likely to get another advantageous AFC title game matchup against a backup quarterback in the snow this time around.
New Orleans Saints
Turn Back the Clock 15 Years
The year is 2011, and the New Orleans Saints just added Mark Ingram to a backfield that already has Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles, and drafted Cam Jordan to bolster a front seven that already has Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma. Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham are catching passes from prime Drew Brees, and they coast to a 13-3 record. That team fell short in the divisional round of the playoffs, but that's much farther than I expect this year's version to get, even with some promising young talent in a weak division.
New York Giants
Have Eli Manning Play Against Tom Brady Every Week
No matter the expectations heading into such a matchup, Manning's Giants always seemed to get the upper hand on Brady's Patriots when it mattered most. The current Big Blue roster has a better chance of bringing back both quarterbacks for a weekly showdown all year long than taking home a Lombardi Trophy in John Harbaugh's first year as head coach. In a few years, Harbaugh might be able to turn the young talent into a contender, but avoiding a bottom-five finish should be a considered a win this year.
New York Jets
Every Opponent Has a Butt-Fumble On Every Offensive Series
The Jets added some talented prospects in this year's draft, and they currently have three first-rounders in 2027 to keep stocking the cupboard for the future. They might have a few bright spots this season (getting an interception on defense would be an improvement over last year), but barring supernatural intervention that causes all of their opponents' offensive possessions to turn into a blooper reel. Of course, they'd still have to recover the fumbles.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers, Mike McCarthy from 2010 Magically Appear
16 years ago, the Steelers fell short in the Super Bowl against a Packers team led by the Rodgers/McCarthy combo. That pair is now donning the Black & Gold, bu they're a far cry from the versions that handed the Pack another Lombardi Trophy. It's possible McCarthy could get a better version of Rodgers in his final NFL season thanks to their familiarity, as well as some added weapons in the offseason, but that won't be enough to get them back within striking distance of the ultimate prize.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Offensive Scheme Is Somewhat Competent
After winning the Super Bowl the year before last, Philly's offense was horribly stale and boring last season, failing to take full advantage of the talented playmakers and one of the league's best offensive lines. Sean Mannion hopes to change that in his first season as offensive coordinator, even with the loss of AJ Brown, which should be mitigated by rookie first-rounder Makai Lemon. This offense is capable of being one of the league's best at full strength, and the defense is the same. If Mannion can get the best out of his group, the Eagles will be back in the championship mix.
San Francisco 49ers
Relocating Practice Literally Anywhere Else
I'd love to laugh at the whole "electrical substation" thing, but the long list of injuries the 49ers have already racked up in training camp aren't much of a joke. At what point does the team consider that maybe, just in case, they should figure out a different place to practice and see if things improve? It'll take a near-miracle for even a mostly healthy 49ers team to win the NFC West this season, let alone make a serious run at the Super Bowl, so they'll need all the help they can get.
Seattle Seahawks
Maintaining the Offensive Standard
Complementary football led the Seahawks to a championship last year, but while the defense should still be one of the league's best under head coach Mike Macdonald, the offense will have to prove they can keep up after losing coordinator Klint Kubiak to the Raiders' head-coaching post. That charge now falls to Brian Fleury, a first-time play-caller who spent the past seven seasons on Kyle Shanahan's staff in San Francisco. They'll need an immediate impact from rookie first-rounder Jadarian Price to replace Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, too, but the pressure is on Fleury to keep his unit on par with Macdonald's defense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles Gets a Dominant Pass Rush Again
Every great defense is predicated on getting consistent pressure in the trenches, and Todd Bowles' unit is no exception, even with his penchant for exotic blitz packages. He had a dominant front that made Patrick Mahomes run for his life in a Super Bowl blowout, and he might have a similar unit in 2026. Rookie first-round steal Rueben Bain Jr. should unlock the full potential of this group, as will a fully healthy Calijah Kancey along the interior. Baker Mayfield and the offense should be fine, and if Bowles gets the most out of his side of the ball, the Bucs could be dangerous this year.
Tennessee Titans
Robert Saleh Rebuilds the Defense at Warp Speed
I'm expecting big things from Cam Ward this year, so I'm not worried about this offense. But it's the arrival of Saleh that could accelerate the Titans' hopes of being contenders. In his second go at being a head coach, I'm betting the Titans get a better version of the man who tried to turn around the Jets a few years back. The defense has some strong building blocks, and Saleh is one of the better defensive minds in the league. If Ward and the offense live up to their potential, Saleh fielding a dominant defense could have the Titans flying up the power rankings.
Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels Stays Healthy
The defense will obviously have to make some big improvements if the Commanders want to be legit contenders, but Daniels is the straw that stirs this drink, just as we saw during his impressive rookie season that ended in the NFC title game. If Dan Quinn can get his side of the ball playing at a higher level, and Daniels is able to avoid injury and live up to his sky-high potential as a dual-threat playmaker, there's no reason why Washington can't be right back where they were a couple of years back.
