We’re lower than 24 hours faraway from Tremendous Bowl LIX, and a few NFL followers have already moved on to the 2025-26 season.
Tremendous Bowl LX is scheduled to happen in Santa Clara, California on February eighth, 2026, and there are already some groups that ought to be thought of favorites to look in that sport. The Philadelphia Eagles look poised to make one other run on the Lombardi Trophy. Although they suffered a beatdown, the Chiefs are all the time a menace to win the Tremendous Bowl so long as Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are collectively.
With franchises already waiting for Tremendous Bowl LX, let’s decide the 4 squads most certainly to look in subsequent 12 months’s large sport.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have a reliable shot at profitable back-to-back titles.
Jalen Hurts is below contract for at the very least three extra years, whereas Saquon has one other season earlier than Philly has a possible opt-out after 2026. Then once more, if he continues to place up numbers like he did this season, I count on him to signal a contract extension with the Eagles quickly. In the meantime, 4 of their 5 stud offensive linemen are below contract for at the very least yet one more 12 months, which means the Eagles will get to run it again in 2025 with one of the best offensive line within the NFL.
They might want to make some enterprise choices on the defensive aspect of the ball. I count on linebacker Zack Baun to signal a lofty contract extension this low season after he led Philly in tackles through the common season and the playoffs. Defensive linemen Josh Sweat and Milton Williams additionally earned themselves renewed contracts with the way in which they performed within the Tremendous Bowl.
Philly might want to exchange some backups/significant contributors on each side of the ball. Offensive lineman Mekhi Becton, defensive finish Brandon Graham, working again Kenneth Gainwell, and linebacker Oren Burks are all scheduled to change into free brokers this low season. Nonetheless, I’m assured that the Eagles will discover stable replacements for all of these guys.
With most of Philly’s key items and coaches staying with the staff for the subsequent couple of years, they need to be contending for a Tremendous Bowl in 2025-26.
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
Simply because the Chiefs misplaced Tremendous Bowl LIX, that doesn’t imply they’re not in line to contend for Tremendous Bowl LX. In reality, I might argue that the 2025-26 Chiefs will probably be a larger menace to win the Tremendous Bowl than the 2024-25 Chiefs as a result of they are going to be motivated to make folks neglect the blowout they suffered final night time.
Patrick Mahomes remains to be below contract with the Chiefs for at the very least the subsequent three years. In the meantime, head coach Andy Reid signed an extension within the low season that may hold him in KC by 2029 until he decides to retire earlier than then. With these two nonetheless main the cost, the Chiefs are a menace to make the Tremendous Bowl yearly, similar to Tom Brady and Invoice Belichick had been for the New England Patriots.
On the identical time, All-Professional defensive lineman Chris Jones is scheduled to play at the very least two extra seasons for KC, so the Chiefs’ finest defensive participant will probably be returning subsequent season. Plus, Travis Kelce will seemingly come again to the staff in 2025-26, in order that’s two massively necessary contributors that Kansas Metropolis has coming again subsequent 12 months.
The Chiefs will have to be energetic within the free company and the draft. Six of their most efficient vast receivers and working backs are scheduled to be free brokers this low season. They’ll additionally want to determine in the event that they need to convey again offensive lineman Trey Smith and linebacker Nick Bolton.
If they’ll shore up their talent place teams, signal Bolton, and make some upgrades alongside the offensive line, there’s no purpose KC can’t attain a fourth straight Tremendous Bowl in 2026.
Detroit Lions
Although I’m a Inexperienced Bay Packers fan, I would be the first to confess that I assumed the Detroit Lions had been going to run away with the NFC. Regardless of all of their accidents, they nonetheless managed to report essentially the most wins in a single season in franchise historical past with 15. Sadly, the accidents and poor preparation by Detroit’s offensive and defensive coordinators caught as much as them within the Divisional Spherical of the 2025 NFL Playoffs. Had guys like defensive linemen Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeil performed towards the Washington Cammanders, that sport may’ve gone in a different way.
The Lions misplaced the 2 finest coordinators within the NFL, however lots of the different key items from 2024-25 will nonetheless be there subsequent season. Head coach Dan Campbell, quarterback Jared Goff, working again Jahmyr Gibbs, offensive lineman Penei Sewell, and vast receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown will all be again in Detroit subsequent 12 months. They’ll additionally get again a number of defensive contributors, together with linebacker Jack Campbell, cornerback Amik Robertson, security Kerby Joseph, and linebacker Alex Anzalone.
Aidan Hutchinson will play an enormous function within the Lions’ success subsequent 12 months. If he can carry out subsequent 12 months the way in which he was enjoying earlier than he broke his leg, then he may probably win the Defensive Participant of the Yr award. That kind of contribution can be invaluable for a staff that simply surrendered 45 factors within the playoffs.
There’ll have to be some replacements made all through the roster. With Carlton Davis III, Kindle Vildor, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Khalil Dorsey, and Emmanuel Mosley set to change into free brokers, the Lions will both must re-sign a few of these guys or exchange them by the draft and free company. They’ll additionally want so as to add some offensive line depth with Kevin Zeitler and Dan Skipper scheduled to check the free-agent market.
Extra importantly, Detroit must make up for the manufacturing they misplaced at defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator. If former Denver Broncos passing sport coordinator John Morton and former Detroit linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard can maintain their very own as play-callers, then the Lions will probably be in a first-rate place to compete for the Tremendous Bowl in 2026.
Buffalo Payments
The Buffalo Payments are proper there within the thick of the Tremendous Bowl hunt with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, however they haven’t but been in a position to recover from the hump. Nonetheless, they need to be thought of one of many favorites to win Tremendous Bowl LX.
Quarterback Josh Allen simply had one of the best 12 months of his profession with solely three Professional Bowlers on the roster (two of which had been offensive linemen). Now, it’s on common supervisor Brandon Beane to encompass Allen with expertise. James Cook dinner is the second-best offensive weapon that the Payments have, however after him, there’s a significant drop-off on the talent positions. It doesn’t assist that Buffalo’s quantity two receiver, Mack Hollins, is scheduled to be a free agent this low season. Quantity two working again Ty Johnson will probably be a free agent, too. Additionally, Amari Cooper, the wideout they traded for in the course of the season, will seemingly take a look at free company this Spring. There’s an opportunity Buffalo will lose three necessary offensive contributors this low season, one thing they can’t afford.
Although they want to spend so much in free company and use their draft capital correctly to provide Josh Allen extra weapons, the Payments want to enhance defensively. After having two defensive Professional Bowlers in 2023, Buffalo has had just one defender named an All-Professional or a Professional Bowler over the past two seasons (cornerback Taron Johnson was named a Second-Group All-Professional final 12 months). That’s not adequate for a staff attempting to win a Tremendous Bowl proper now.
Buffalo must make a number of splashy strikes this low season. Making a commerce for Cleveland’s Myles Garrett or Las Vegas’ Maxx Crosby can be the kind of resolution that would change the complexion of this staff and the AFC as an entire. It additionally couldn’t harm to signal a real number-one vast receiver like Cincinatti’s Tee Higgins or New York’s Davante Adams.
Buffalo ought to compete for a Tremendous Bowl subsequent season in the event that they don’t make any of the aforementioned strikes. Nevertheless, they’d be checked out as a way more critical menace to hoist the Lombardi Trophy if they’ll usher in one other star or two.
