Now that the confetti has been presumably swept up following the Seattle Seahawks' victory parade, it is time to move past Super Bowl LX with an eye on the teams that could hoist the Lombardi Trophy in the future.
Though there is plenty of roster construction to be done before the 2026 season kicks off, the following seven teams have a jump on the competition as emerging title contenders.
The Super Bowl champions are built to last, with a defensive-minded whiteboard wizard installed as the head coach. Mike Macdonald's brilliant schemes, combined with Seahawks' superior talent on the defensive front (Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy, Demarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu) and in the secondary (Devon Witherspoon, Nick Emmanwori and Julian Love), give them a chance to dominate the league over the next few years, whether Boye Mafe, Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen as free agents.
Offensively, the Seahawks' chances of mounting a dynasty hinge on whoever replaces outgoing coordinator Klint Kubiak, who left to become head coach of the Raiders. Can that coach follow in Kubiak's footsteps by coaxing elite performances out of Sam Darnold, Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba and an underrated offensive line? The impending free agency of running back (and Super Bowl LX MVP) Kenneth Walker III and receiver Rashid Shaheed could force the team to tweak its championship formula, and a new contract will certainly be worth considering for Smith-Njigba, who is eligible for an extension this offseason. Still, the Seahawks are positioned to be a long-term force among contenders.
Sean McVay's brilliance as a leader and play-caller will keep the Rams in the hunt for as long as he roams the sidelines. The one-time Super Bowl winner has mastered the art of building a championship squad, mixing superstars with newbies and veteran pickups hoping to prove themselves in the NFL.
Of course, the decision by 2025 MVP Matthew Stafford to return certainly cements McVay's immediate chances of making another title run, with stars Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and Kyren Williams all in line to stay in place, as well. And there is work to do on that side of the ball. The offensive line will need some attention, with Rob Havenstein retiring and veteran depth pieces D.J. Humphries and David Quessenberry hitting the free agent market. Additionally, the Rams must find their quarterback of the future at some point, whether they take a swing on someone in the 2026 NFL Draft or acquire enough assets to set up a move for one of the quarterback gems in 2027. Setting up a QB plan -- and locking up Nacua, who is extension-eligible this offseason -- would go a long way toward securing their placement here in this list.
Defensively, the Rams' young and hungry collection of playmakers will return looking to avenge the NFC Championship Game defeat to the rival Seahawks. With Jared Verse, Kobie Turner, Byron Young and Braden Fiske back to set the tone in the trenches, the Rams can focus their efforts on upgrading the defensive backfield with more blue-chip players to help Quentin Lake reduce the costly coverage mistakes in big games. Given the Rams' returning lineup and their coaching prowess, Super Bowl LXI could be a home game for the NFC heavyweights.
The disappointment of Super Bowl LX could fuel the Patriots' dominance for the rest of the decade, as Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye seek to put that epic beatdown behind them.
The NFL Coach of the Year and MVP runner-up drive this ranking, but the pair will be in especially good shape if the Pats can add more playmakers and big-play specialists on the perimeter -- say, by drafting a blue-chip receiving prospect. Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte are under contract for 2026, but Diggs is set to carry a cap hit of $26.5 million, and Boutte has just one more year left on his rookie deal. That said, the running back duo of Rhamondre Stevenson (whose contract runs through 2028) and TreVeyon Henderson (entering Year 2) is locked in place, and the team will surely spend the offseason crafting plans to maximize that backfield partnership.
Questions will undoubtedly persist about Will Campbell and Jared Wilson after the rookies struggled throughout the playoffs, but playing the youngsters is a significant part of the draft-and-develop approach that will keep the Patriots in the mix as title contenders. Ultimately, the organization must get the left tackle and guard on track, and keep growing the talent base around Maye.
The veteran-laden defense is poised to return most of its top players except K'Lavon Chaisson. The collection of greybeards should continue to suffocate opponents in the immediate future -- while rising star CB Christian Gonzalez (who is extension-eligible) and 26-year-old DT Milton Williams keep the long-term outlook bright.
Despite a dramatic fall-off in 2025 that coincided with some public drama, the Eagles remain a viable title contender due to Howie Roseman's shrewd team-building moves. The Super Bowl LIX champions have assembled a collection of A-list playmakers on each side of the ball who possess the individual and collective talents to overwhelm opponents with superior size, strength and speed.
New offensive coordinator Sean Mannion will be key, of course. He must build a playbook that showcases Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith and -- unless he's playing elsewhere -- A.J. Brown in prominent roles. The front office must also come up with a plan to address the long-term stability of the offensive line, with Lane Johnson (35) and Landon Dickerson having reportedly considered retirement. Otherwise, Jalen Hurts' mastery of a new scheme will not improve the Eagles' bottom line.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has a star-studded lineup at his disposal, with Jalen Carter, Zack Baun, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean playing at elite levels and all but the 29-year-old Baun being 24 or younger. While the unit would love to retain Jaelan Phillips as a disruptor on the edge, the free-agent pass rusher could draw significant interest on the open market.
Regardless, the Eagles remain loaded on both sides of the ball and possess the championship pedigree that will keep them in title contention for the foreseeable future.
The AFC's No. 1 seed lost a snow-covered conference title game without its starting quarterback, but this looks like a rising power. Bo Nix leads an offense that is rounding into form under Sean Payton's direction. Nix finished 2026 with eight game-winning drives (including the playoffs), showcasing outstanding poise and playmaking ability while tossing pinpoint passes to Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., Pat Bryant and Evan Engram. The Broncos can focus offseason attention on improving a running game that was middle of the pack in 2025, lacking down-to-down efficiency after J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending injury in early November. On the plus side, Denver boasts a rock-solid offensive line that could perform even better in 2026. With Garett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz setting the tone for the Broncos in the trenches, the offense flashes enough talent and potential to play a rugged brand of football that perfectly complements the disruptive defense that pummels opposing quarterbacks at every turn.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph baffles opponents with exotic blitz designs, as evidenced by Denver's league-high 68 sacks. Nik Bonitto, Jonathan Cooper and Zach Allen take turns setting the table for additional defenders like Ja'Quan McMillian and Talanoa Hufanga to run unobstructed to the quarterback for pivotal takedowns.
As Payton spends the next few weeks building out his plan to help the Broncos make another run, he'll head toward the 2026 season knowing he has a squad with the talent and potential to win Super Bowl LXI.
The spectacular late-game performances of Caleb Williams under Ben Johnson's tutelage should inspire Bears fans to harbor Super Bowl dreams. Though far from perfect, the former No. 1 overall pick displayed the magic that made scouts sing his praises ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. Moreover, he teamed with Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, Luther Burden III, Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet to ignite a passing game that routinely produced big plays with pizzazz.
D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai rumbled past opponents on an assortment of off-tackle runs behind a powerful offensive line that should return intact in 2026 (though LT Ozzy Trapilo's recovery from a serious knee injury could carry over into next season). Although general manager Ryan Poles might add some depth pieces to the monstrous OL, the Bears are sitting pretty with an electric offense that is a nightmare to defend.
Defensively, Chicago must address the potential losses of impending free agents Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Nahshon Wright, but the league's top takeaway unit could ultimately improve in Year 2 of Dennis Allen's system.
Considering the Bears just went from worst to first in the NFC North with a young lineup that flourished under the direction of new leadership, the future looks extremely bright.
If Liam Coen can take Jacksonville from 4-13 to 13-4 in his first year on the job, the Jaguars are well on their way to becoming annual playoff participants under his direction. The offensive wizard unlocked Trevor Lawrence's superpowers as a dual-threat quarterback, while featuring an imposing group of pass catchers (Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, Brenton Strange and Brian Thomas Jr.) in an explosive offense that utilized a balanced approach to keep defensive play-callers guessing.
Although the Jaguars will need to nurse Travis Hunter back to health and make a tough decision on impending free agent Travis Etienne, the team's offensive firepower should enable it to challenge the league's heavyweights in 2026.
Defensively, the Jaguars could lose Devin Lloyd and Andrew Wingard to free agency, but the bulk of their takeover-obsessed unit is set to return with valuable experience in DC Anthony Campanile's system.
Jacksonville took the AFC South title in 2025, but lost at home on Wild Card Weekend. In Year 2 of the Coen era, the Jaguars should be well-positioned to take the next step in the postseason tournament.