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We are so close to football being back, and Lord do we need it.
If you’re on Twitter right now, you’re probably seeing every person you’ve ever interacted with launching verbal spears at strangers if they dare say this quarterback is better than that quarterback, which all ends with a Ravens fan showing you a photo of his crime board that proclaims Joe Burrow is actually the Zodiac killer. I’d tell you what’s hidden away in every Bo Nix truther’s secret room, but it’s X-rated and we don’t need to go into detail there.
We’re all rabid at this point and need games on our screen. But fear not, my fellow sickos – the Hall of Fame Game is exactly three weeks away at the time of writing, with training camps opening up in one week’s time. Until then, though, how about one more long-form piece for everyone to get angry about?
With this season concluding with the 61st Super Bowl, I compiled a running list of 61 predictions for the 2026 NFL season and beyond. From game results, to notable trades and signings, to a coaching carousel after the campaign is done, take a peek into my crystal ball as I tell the tale of the 2026 NFL season.
1. WR Stefon Diggs signs with Dallas Cowboys
I know everyone is metaphorically stuffing Diggs in a box, taping him up, and FedEx-ing him to the Washington Commanders’ facility in Landover, but it’s another NFC East team that we should keep an eye on. Outside of stars CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, Dallas has zero depth at receiver. Ryan Flournoy, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Kavontae Turpin are the names behind the terrific duo – that simply won’t cut it. Signing Diggs as a chess piece who can move around both on the perimeter and the slot, just like Lamb and Pickens can do, would give the Cowboys the best trio of pass-catchers in the NFL.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baker Mayfield do not get extension done
This leaves Mayfield to play out the final year of his deal and become a free agent in 2027. Keep that in mind for later.
3. Vikings trade J.J. McCarthy to Ravens
The writing is on the wall for J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings won 14 games with Sam Darnold, didn’t bring him back, and then watched him win a Super Bowl while they limped to a 9-8 record. McCarthy completed less than 60 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. He gets dealt to Baltimore and Jesse Minter, who won a National Championship with McCarthy at Michigan as the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator.
4. Rams defeat 49ers in blowout fashion in Week 1
The Rams are playing with venom drooling out of their mouths in Week 1. Myles Garrett has one of the best debuts with a new team in NFL history, sacking Brock Purdy three times and forcing an interception that is returned for a touchdown by fellow new Ram Trent McDuffie. Matthew Stafford throws four touchdowns, a pair each for Puka Nacua and Davante Adams as the Rams run away on the opening Thursday of the season by the score of 38-20.
5. Deshaun Watson is Browns Week 1 starter
This Browns quarterback room may be the worst in NFL history. Having to choose between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders is like choosing between a long, torturous death or a torturous, long death. Todd Monken chooses Watson to be the Week 1 starter against the Jaguars, which ends in a 24-16 loss to Jacksonville.
6. Jayden Daniels lights up the Eagles in Week 1
The Commanders begin their season on the road in Philadelphia in the late-afternoon window on Fox, and man doesn’t that just feel right? Few things make me feel as nostalgic as the NFC East getting America’s Game of the Week. I feel like it’s 2007 again, and I’m sitting with my dad in the living room with a lovely view of the tree in our yard as the bright colored leaves fall off one-by-one with the smell of cinnamon in the air while Tony Romo and Donovan McNabb squared off.
Memories of yesteryear aside, Jayden Daniels enters this season with a point to prove after an injury-riddled 2025 campaign, and he makes a statement in Week 1. The LSU product throws for 284 yards, three passing touchdowns, and adds 64 yards with a rushing score on the ground as Washington defeats Philadelphia 34-27.
7. Chiefs defeat Broncos to close Week 1
I’ll give props to my good friend Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated for proclaiming that the most important game of the season for both Kansas City and Denver is the first one. If the Chiefs win, they’re in the driver’s seat with a very easy first half schedule. Following Week 1, their schedule from Weeks 2-6 is as follows:
- Week 2: vs. Colts
- Week 3: at Dolphins
- Week 4: at Raiders
- Week 5: BYE
- Week 6: vs. Chargers
It’s very likely, and even probable that the Chiefs are 4-1 after the first six weeks if they defeat Denver in Week 1, which gives them an early command of the division. Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes remind everyone that they are still the big dog in the AFC and defeat the Broncos 23-20 on a last second Harrison Butker field goal.
8. Eagles start season 0-2
After the back-and-forth shootout with the Commanders in which they fall short, the Eagles travel to Tennessee to face the Titans. In terms of survivor pools, many pick the Eagles with such hubris, but are stunned to see that Robert Saleh’s defense does what it did to Hurts in the divisional round this past January. Hurts struggles, throwing a pair of interceptions, including the game-sealing pick to Kevin Winston Jr which locks up a 20-17 win for Tennessee, putting the Eagles in an early 0-2 hole.
9. Mike Evans hauls in three touchdowns in Week 2 vs. Dolphins
Playing the Dolphins after the Rams is the equivalent of cage-fighting a newborn baby after boxing Mike Tyson. After an 18-point loss to the Rams to begin their season, the 49ers bounce back with a Mike Evans masterclass, catching eight passes for 109 yards and three touchdowns en route to San Francisco defeating Miami 31-13.
10. Lions score 40 points in consecutive weeks
The Lions are 2-1 entering Week 4, defeating the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets in Weeks 1 and 3, respectively, with loss to the Buffalo Bills sandwiched in between. They then have a two-game road-trip, facing the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals. In front of a national audience on Sunday Night Football, Jahmyr Gibbs goes off for three total touchdowns while Jared Goff goes for 303 yards and four scores, defeating the Panthers 41-17. The next week against Arizona, Goff and rising playmaker Isaac TeSlaa hook up for seven receptions, 88 yards, and two scores while the defense forces three takeaways in a 40-9 public execution.
11. Patriots start season 1-3
The Patriots begin their season by playing four playoff teams from a year ago in their first four games. They open the season in Seattle against the Seahawks in a Super Bowl LX rematch. They then host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 – a game they lost last season after turning the ball over five times. They hit the road again for Weeks 3 and 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills, respectively. Super Bowl hangovers are a very real thing, especially when three of your first four games are away from home with a cross-country trip thrown in. Now, luckily for them, they play the Raiders and Jets in Weeks 5 and 6, but New England will come out of the gate slow, losing to Seattle, Jacksonville, and Buffalo with their lone win in the first month coming against Pittsburgh.
12. Joe Burrow has two five-TD pass performances in first five weeks
The Bengals finally get off to a hot start, starting with a shootout with Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers. Burrow throws a pair of touchdowns to Ja’Marr Chase, one to Tee Higgins and one to Chase Brown, dueling with Mayfield who throws three touchdowns of his own in the first three quarters. A fifth Burrow touchdown to Andrei Iosivas seals a 38-27 win over Tampa Bay. In Week 5, Burrow carves up another Florida team as the Bengals blow out the Miami Dolphins 44-16.
13. Myles Garrett has massive night vs. Giants in Week 2
On the Week 2 edition of Monday Night Football, the Rams host the Giants in what ends up being the second consecutive colossal Myles Garrett performance to begin his tenure as a Ram. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year sacks Jaxson Dart three times and earns a half sack on another takedown. And just to poke fun at the offseason activities of the Giants’ quarterback, several Rams players are seen wearing blue hats with the phrase “Make America Garrett Again.”
14. Bills open new Highmark Stadium with a bang
After falling to the Texans 24-23 in Week 1, the Bills go nuclear on the Detroit Lions to kickoff Week 2 on Thursday Night Football. Josh Allen throws three touchdowns, James Cook runs for two, and Buffalo puts a beating on the Lions 38-24.
15. Shedeur Sanders takes over as Browns starter in Week 5 vs. Jets
Deshaun Watson starts the first four games of the year for the Browns, going 1-3 in the process with the only win coming against the Panthers. The offense is terrible, though, as is Watson, to the surprise of no one. He’s thrown three touchdowns to six interceptions after a Thursday night loss to the Steelers by the score of 19-10 – a game so boring, Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit start talking about how great the Atlanta Braves were in the 1990s by the second quarter. With a mini-bye week, Todd Monken makes the switch ahead of Cleveland’s matchup with the Jets.
16. Fernando Mendoza makes first start in Week 8 vs. Jets
The No. 1 overall pick takes over midway through the year after a 1-6 start for the Raiders.
17. Sean Payton takes back play calling duties from Davis Webb
After a 3-5 start is capped off with a second loss to the Chiefs, Sean Payton can’t help himself and strips offensive coordinator Davis Webb of being the play-caller, taking back that responsibility for himself.
18. Cardinals trade S Budda Baker to Lions
After dismantling the Cardinals, the Lions go into their bye week and make a big addition, trading for the Cardinals’ star safety to help shore up a secondary that needs help.
19. Chiefs trade for Cardinals WR Michael Wilson
After sweeping the Broncos, the Chiefs are 6-1 and looking to add another offensive weapon to put them over the top in the AFC. They send a fourth-round pick to the Cardinals in exchange for Wilson, who is coming off a 1,000-yard season in 2025.
20. Justin Jefferson trade rumors begin
After a 3-5 start, culminating with a Monday night loss to the Bills the night before the trade deadline, there are loud whispers that Justin Jefferson may want out of Minnesota. The trade deadline comes and goes without him being moved, but the narrative for the remainder of the season is if this will be the last year of Jefferson in a Vikings uniform.
21. Aaron Donald returns to Rams
Donald returns to the Rams after Thanksgiving to make a push at another championship, making his season debut in Week 13 against the Chiefs on Thursday Night Football.
22. Josh Allen has seven TD performance vs Dolphins
I’m sorry, Dolphins fans. Really, I am. If it makes you feel better, I really like Jacob Rodriguez and Kyle Louis and think both will be studs. But Allen has owned the Dolphins throughout his career. He has two 400-yard games and six 300-yard games against Miami in his career. In Week 11, coming off a four total-touchdown performance in a win over the Jets, Allen throws for five touchdowns and rushes for two more as the Bills bury Miami 52-16.
23. Packers end Bears’ playoff hopes on Christmas Day
One year after the Bears overcame a fourth-quarter deficit to shock the Packers twice in the span of three weeks, Green Bay returns the favor to Chicago. Entering the game at 7-7, the Bears can’t afford another loss if they want to remain alive in the NFC playoff race. With just over a minute to go in regulation and the game tied at 23, Jordan Love launches a moon ball to Christian Watson, who catches it, snaps away from a tackle, and runs into the end zone to lock up a 30-23 win, all but putting the dagger in the playoff hopes of the Bears.
24. Ravens season is ended by Steelers in Week 18 for second straight year
The Steelers have a wild card spot locked up, entering the final week of the season with a 10-6 record. Baltimore sits at 9-7 and need a win to get in. Aaron Rodgers throws a touchdown to Michael Pittman while Rico Dowdle rushes for another. With the game tied at 17, Rodgers leads a drive to the Ravens’ 31 yard-line, where Chris Boswell nails a 48-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh a 20-17 lead with 1:43 to play. Lamar Jackson leads Baltimore to Pittsburgh’s 45, not quite within field goal range when the Steelers force a fourth-and-seven. Joey Porter Jr. locks down Zay Flowers, preventing a completion and securing a win for the Steelers, and yet another missed postseason for the Ravens.
25. Colts finish with top 10 draft pick
I like the coaching staff that Indianapolis has. Shane Steichen and Lou Anarumo are both terrific coaches, but the Colts don’t have the horses. Quarterback wise, even when Daniel Jones returns, they will be starting a bottom-third player at the position. Jonathan Taylor is terrific, but we’ve seen time and time again a great running back alone will not win games. Combined with the overpaying of Alec Pierce and the departure of several veterans on defense, I can’t find more than five or six wins for the Colts.
26. Giants finish last in NFC East again
Despite the addition of John Harbaugh, the Giants end up being the 2026 version of the Las Vegas Raiders – a team that hires a Super Bowl-winning head coach in hopes of taking a leap forward, but performs poorly. That’s not to say the Giants will finish with the No. 1 overall pick, but 6-11 or 7-10 is likely where they’ll fall.
27. Kenneth Walker becomes first 1,000-yard rusher of Patrick Mahomes era
Yeah, believe it or not, Patrick Mahomes has never had a 1,000-yard rusher. Isiah Pacheco came close in 2023 with 935 yards, but Walker will break the streak comfortably and top 1,300 yards in 2026.
28. Myles Garrett breaks sack record for second straight year
After recording 6.5 sacks in the first two weeks of the season, the Myles Garrett sack record watch becomes a focal point around the NFL for the second straight season. It doesn’t take him the full 17 games to achieve it this time around, though, as he gets to Baker Mayfield in Week 15 to get sack No. 24 on the year before finishing the season with 25.5 and winning his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award.
29. Joe Burrow throws 50+ touchdowns, wins MVP
Burrow stays healthy all season and goes on a tear, becoming the first quarterback since Patrick Mahomes in 2018 to throw 50 touchdowns in a season, getting that coveted No. 50 in Week 17 against the Baltimore Ravens.
30. League leader predictions
Instead of going one-by-one with each league-leader projection, we’ll combine a comprehensive top five for each major stat:
Passing yards
- Joe Burrow: 4,505
- Matthew Stafford: 4,387
- Dak Prescott: 4,298
- Drake Maye: 4,215
- Trevor Lawrence: 4,187
Passing touchdowns
- Joe Burrow: 52
- Matthew Stafford: 37
- Dak Prescott: 33
- Josh Allen: 32
- Trevor Lawrence: 29
Rushing yards
- Jahmyr Gibbs: 1,648
- James Cook: 1,493
- Bijan Robinson: 1,427
- Derrick Henry: 1,372
- De’Von Achane: 1,298
Rushing touchdowns
- Kenneth Walker: 15
- Jonathan Taylor: 14
- James Cook: 13
- Derrick Henry: 12
- Javonte Williams: 12
Receptions
- Ja’Marr Chase: 128
- Amon-Ra St. Brown: 124
- Puka Nacua: 119
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 117
- DeVonta Smith: 108
Receiving yards
- Ja’Marr Chase: 1,693
- Amon-Ra St. Brown: 1,604
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 1,586
- Puka Nacua: 1,401
- George Pickens: 1,375
Receiving touchdowns
- Ja’Marr Chase: 20
- George Pickens: 13
- Puka Nacua: 12
- Trey McBride: 12
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 11
Sacks
- Myles Garrett: 25.5
- Will Anderson: 17.0
- Danielle Hunter: 15.5
- Abdul Carter: 14.5
- Maxx Crosby: 14.0
Tackles
- Carson Schwesinger: 181
- Sonny Styles: 175
- Jack Campbell: 172
- Jordyn Brooks: 169
- Fred Warner: 147
Interceptions
- Jalen Pitre: 6
- Derek Stingley: 6
- Xavier Watts: 5
- Sonny Styles: 4
- Nashon Wright: 4
31. Ja’Marr Chase wins Offensive Player of the Year
Chase has another massive season, putting up 128 catches for 1,693 yards and 20 touchdowns.
32. Jayden Daniels wins Comeback Player of the Year
Daniels reminds everyone that he is one of the best young quarterbacks in football, throwing 26 touchdowns and adding seven on the ground to just nine interceptions as he leads Washington back to the playoffs.
33. Carnell Tate wins Offensive Rookie of the Year
Tate immediately proves to be what the Titans needed for Cam Ward, catching 85 passes for 1,207 yards and nine touchdowns as he and Ward help push Tennessee into the postseason.
34. Sonny Styles wins Defensive Rookie of the Year
Styles is the key to Dan Quinn’s defense getting back on track. The Ohio State product will be a top five tackler in the NFL, as well as pick off four passes to help Washington’s defense improve from finishing 28th in success rate.
35. Brian Schottenheimer wins Coach of the Year
After two straight years of missing the postseason, Schottenheimer gets Dallas to 12 wins and earns the Coach of the Year award – the same award his father won in 2004.
36. Notable teams to miss playoffs
The Broncos, Chargers, Ravens, and Jaguars will miss the postseason in the AFC while the Seahawks, Bears, and 49ers are left out in the NFC.
Denver’s defense is terrific. However, they were 11-2 in one-score games – that will almost certainly revert to the mean. Additionally, Bo Nix got away with a lot of throws in 2025, ranking first in interception worthy passes, per FTN Fantasy. Additionally, among 45 quarterbacks with 150 snaps, Nix was 32nd in success rate, 30th in completion percentage over expected, and 30th in average air yards per attempt. With a tougher schedule and lacking a upper echelon quarterback, Denver takes a step back.
Every year, we’re told to watch out for the Chargers, and yet they haven’t won a playoff game since 2018. There are multiple teams with more explosive weapons, and their defense will regress without Jesse Minter.
Speaking of Minter, the Ravens’ offense is quietly just… mediocre? Lamar Jackson is obviously fantastic, but it would be wishful thinking at best to assume he’ll play close to the level we saw in 2024. Their pass-catchers are a bottom half of the league unit, and all of their top defenders outside of Kyle Hamilton are aging and their play is declining.
Jacksonville will be fun to watch offensively, and I have them as my first team out with a winning record. Defensively they will be more volatile, which will cost them in close games.
Seattle will be this year’s Lions. Losing Ben Johnson threw Detroit a bit out of whack offensively, as Dan Campbell took over play-calling midseason from John Morton. Similar to Jacksonville, they will be my first team out in the NFC – certainly not a bad team, just a down season after an extraterrestrial 2025.
Chicago’s defense should worry all Bears fans. They lost five key contributors, and were very reliant on takeaways in 2025. Combined with the roller coaster ride that is the Caleb Williams experience, Chicago finishes 9-8 and outside the playoff picture.
San Francisco’s core is just too old, and you can never bank on them being fully healthy. They overachieved in 2025 despite those injuries, but a lot of that had to do with Robert Saleh calling the defense. Without Saleh, any defensive shortcomings will severely hinder the 49ers.
37. Bengals win AFC North
Off the strength of Burrow’s 52 touchdown passes and a defense that improves enough to hold up its end of the bargain, Cincinnati wins 12 games and clinches the North for the first time since 2022.
38. Bills win AFC East
Buffalo gets back to the top of the East, winning 11 games off the strength of Josh Allen’s 42 total touchdowns and a defense that finds its groove under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
39. Texans win AFC South
This one I say with hesitancy because we just don’t know what Houston will get from C.J. Stroud, but that defense has zero holes. They go 11-6 and win the South.
40. Chiefs win AFC West
The Chiefs reclaim the division after a one-year hiatus, and end up as the only AFC West team to get into the postseason.
41. Steelers earn No. 5 seed in AFC
So many seem to be down on the Steelers despite winning 10 games in 2025 and their roster and coaching staff getting much better. They get to 11 wins in Year One under Mike McCarthy and clinch the top wild card spot.
42. Patriots clinch No. 6 seed in AFC
New England takes a bit of a step back in 2026, but that’s expected when you win 14 games the year before. They get to 10-7 and earn the second wild card spot in the AFC.
43. Titans steal No. 7 seed in AFC
Every year, there is at least one team that makes the postseason that no one sees coming – I’ll say this year’s team will be the Tennessee Titans. I love the offseason they’ve had. New head coach Robert Saleh will turn that defense around, and Brian Daboll has a proven track record of elevating quarterbacks. With additions like Carnell Tate, Wan’Dale Robinson, John Franklin Myers, Alontae Taylor, and Cor’Dale Flott, Tennessee’s roster is much better than what it was at this time last season. Cam Ward takes a big leap forward and leads the Titans to their first playoff appearance since 2021.
44. Lions win NFC North
I’m going to bet on Dan Campbell the way he bets on his guys on fourth down more than any coach in the NFL. I like the hire of Drew Petzing at offensive coordinator, and Detroit’s offense will be more consistent than it was a year ago. I do, however, have plenty of worries about their defense. Their secondary has taken blow after blow over the last eight months. Brian Branch tore his Achilles in December and his return date is unknown. Terrion Arnold was released after being arrested on kidnapping charges. Kerby Joseph’s knee is maybe the most up in the air unknown in the NFL as it pertains to injuries – hence the prediction for Detroit to acquire Budda Baker. All that said, I’ll be optimistic about the Lions and have them rebound and win the division with a high-powered offense that outscores its problems.
45. Cowboys win NFC East
I love the Cowboys in 2026. The offense will be one of the best and most explosive in the NFL, and their defense will be much better under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, along with a plethora of new faces. Caleb Downs, Jalen Thompson, Cobie Durant, Rashan Gary – this defense is going to look a lot different than it did in 2025 when it gave up the most explosive plays in the league. Dak Prescott finishes top five in MVP voting as Dallas wins 12 games to take the No. 2 seed.
46. Saints win NFC South
Another team I’m very bullish on is the New Orleans Saints. The additions they’ve made this offseason should have their fans excited. Jordyn Tyson taken in the first round to complement Chris Olave, Travis Etienne coming off the best season of his career and now being paired with Alvin Kamara, David Edwards at guard, cornerback Martin Emerson on a cheap deal. This is a team that won four of its last five games in 2025, and Tyler Shough showed real progress in that stretch – they win a wide open division and host a playoff game for the first time since 2020.
47. Rams win NFC West
Nothing groundbreaking here. The Rams essentially built their own version of the MonSTARS by trading for both Trent McDuffie and Myles Garrett to add to a team that already featured Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and reigning MVP Matthew Stafford. They’ll win 14 games and get the top seed in the NFC.
48. Eagles earn No. 5 seed in NFC
The pendulum on the Eagles has swung the other way for me. At the beginning of the offseason, I was proclaiming they’d win seven games and then blow everything up, firing Nick Sirianni and trading Jalen Hurts. I’ve swung back to a more favorable outcome for Philly, rebounding after the aforementioned 0-2 start by winning 11 games.
49. Packers earn No. 6 seed in NFC
The timetable for Micah Parsons’ return is unknown, but the Packers have a favorable first half schedule. While they have a trip to Los Angeles to play the Rams, as well as home games against the Bills and Texans, all of those games take place after their Week 11 bye week. They come out of the gate with away games against the Vikings and Jets, which should put them at 2-0. They then face the Falcons and Buccaneers. At worse, they are looking at a 3-1 start ahead of their first game against the Bears, which is at home. If Parsons could return for the Sunday night matchup with the Cowboys in Week 6 with Green Bay potentially at 4-1, that is the best case scenario. Even if it takes Parsons a bit longer to make it back, Green Bay’s magic number is six wins in their first 10 games ahead of the bye, which is very doable.
50. Commanders earn No. 7 seed in NFC
Off the strength of a rejuvenated and healthy Jayden Daniels, as well as a defense that is much improved with several new starters, Washington bounces back after a five-win 2025 campaign and gets back into the postseason in their first year back in their perfect classic uniforms.
51. Steelers upset Chiefs in wild card round
The Chiefs have the better quarterback, certainly, but the Steelers have the better roster 1-53. Even after the projected addition of Michael Wilson for Kansas City, Pittsburgh’s secondary is very deep and can contain the weapons Kansas City possesses. The lack of edge rushers for the Chiefs gives Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers’ offense time and comfortability to consistently move the ball and sneak out of Arrowhead with a 23-20 win on a Chris Boswell walk-off field goal, winning their first playoff game since the 2016 season.
52. Cowboys vs. Rams in NFC Championship Game
The Rams earn the No. 1 seed, while Dallas is No. 2 in the conference. The Cowboys get to the Conference Championship Game by defeating a pair of division opponents. They defeat Washington 31-23 in the wild card round before Christian Parker puts the Eagles’ offense in hell for 60 minutes en route to a 20-9 win in the divisional round. The Rams enjoy a first-round bye before defeating the Packers 34-27.
The two teams exchange offensive blows, but a Caleb Downs interception with less than two minutes to play seals the 34-30 win for the Cowboys to send them to their first Super Bowl in over 30 years.
53. Bengals vs. Bills in AFC Championship Game
I’ve picked the Bills get to the Super Bowl in each of the last three seasons, so maybe if I don’t pick them, they’ll actually do it. Allen and Burrow go blow-for-blow, with a Ja’Marr Chase touchdown being what seals the Bengals’ 35-30 win over Buffalo.
54. Cowboys defeat Bengals in Super Bowl LXI
Instead of a coin toss, the two teams do the Spider-Man pointing at each other meme, as these two squads are so similarly constructed. A star quarterback, two stud wide receivers, and a defense that needs them to outscore their shortcomings. Dak and Burrow put on respective offensive masterclasses, each throwing three touchdowns as the two teams enter the fourth quarter in a 24-24 tie. Prescott throws his fourth touchdown of the game to Jake Ferguson with 6:53 to play. On the ensuing drive, as Cincinnati is on the brink of a score of their own, a Burrow pass is tipped in the air and snagged by Caleb Downs. Two first downs later, the Cowboys have finally ended their championship drought with a 31-24 win.
55. Chargers fire Jim Harbaugh, promote Mike McDaniel
In the midst of the postseason, those who missed out on the playoffs get started with their offseason – some of whom make big changes. After missing the playoffs, extending the playoff winless streak for the Chargers to seven seasons – three of which were under the leadership of Harbaugh, Los Angeles somewhat surprisingly moves on from their head coach. While he led Los Angeles to two straight 11-win seasons, the Chargers have been terrible in playoff games. Missing the postseason all together leads the franchise to go with a younger, more forward-thinking mind in McDaniel at head coach.
56. Browns fire Todd Monken, hire Jim Harbaugh
Monken ends up being a one-and-done coach in Cleveland. It may not have happened that way if Harbaugh didn’t become available. The Harbaugh family is from Ohio, and John Harbaugh was reportedly tempted by the Browns’ job this past offseason due to those roots. Brother Jim ends up taking the job, as Cleveland desperately needs a big name who has proven to be a culture shifter and winner.
57. Panthers move on from Bryce Young
2025 will be where the Bryce Young Panthers peak. After a 5-12 season in 2026, the Panthers move on from the former No. 1 overall pick and get ready to go on a search for their next signal-caller in the 2026 NFL Draft.
58. Murmurs of Lamar Jackson leaving Baltimore get loud
After the Ravens come just shy of making the postseason in Year One of the Minter era, and for the second consecutive year, many wonder what the future holds for Lamar Jackson. The two-time MVP will enter the final year of his current deal in 2027. Does Baltimore look elsewhere at quarterback options and ship Jackson away?
59. Buccaneers hire Mike Tomlin as head coach
Mike Tomlin goes back to where his NFL journey began and accepts the Buccaneers’ head coaching job. Tomlin was the Bucs’ defensive backs coach from 2001-05, winning a Super Bowl in the 2002 season. After Tampa moves on from Todd Bowles, they make a Sean Payton-esc trade with Pittsburgh, as they still hold Tomlin’s rights, sending a 2027 first-round pick and 2028 third-round pick to the Steelers in exchange for their new head coach.
60. Texans trade C.J. Stroud to Falcons
The Falcons have a really nice collection of talent on offense, with Bijan Robinson being who many believe is the top running back in the NFL, and Drake London is one of the game’s finest receivers. Unfortunately, they have yet to find a quarterback who they can lean on, and that will continue to be the case in 2026 with Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix. Atlanta trades for Stroud, who easily becomes the best quarterback Kevin Stefanski has had since Baker Mayfield. And speaking of Baker…
61. Baker Mayfield signs with Texans
Baker Mayfield is from Austin, which is about a two and a half hour drive from Houston. Despite a respectable 2026 season that sees Mayfield throw for 4,000 yards and 31 touchdowns, the Bucs miss the playoffs. He decides to return home to a team that needs an upgrade at quarterback after being eliminated in the divisional round for the fourth consecutive year despite having the league’s top defense.
While some may ask why the Texans would go this route, ask yourself what you would rather have – C.J. Stroud on an extension between $45-55 million per year or Baker Mayfield on a shorter-term deal for less money and additional first-round picks? I know which one I’d choose.
My crystal ball would never lie to you, and I hope you enjoyed the predictive journey we went on together. The real thing starts very soon. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be taking an end of summer nap to rest my weary head in preparation for the months ahead. Happy football season to all.
