PFT's 2026 NFL season predictions

Another year, another opportunity to make a variety of grossly inaccurate prognostications about the NFL season to come.

When guessing right, it's regarded as the product of dumb luck. When guessing wrong, it serves as confirmation that the person making the predictions was and is an idiot.

But, hey, when in Rome. And the job compels us to give it a shot, whatever the outcome may be. The 2026 playoff trees and Super Bowl champions for each of the PFT writers appear below.

Fortunately, the results aren't part of our annual performance reviews. If they were, we'd all be fired. Starting with me, even though I own the place.

Case in point: Last year, none of us had either of the two Super Bowl teams. Let's see if we can do that again.

1. Texans; 2. Broncos; 3. Bills; 4. Bengals; 5. Chargers; 6. Patriots; 7. Ravens.

Wild card: Broncos over Ravens; Bills over Patriots; Chargers over Bengals.

Divisional: Bills over Broncos; Chargers over Texans.

Conference championship: Bills over Chargers.

1. Lions; 2. Rams; 3. Eagles; 4. Buccaneers; 5. Seahawks; 6. Cowboys; 7. Bears.

Wild Card: Rams over Bears; Eagles over Cowboys; Seahawks over Buccaneers.

Divisional: Rams over Eagles; Lions over Seahawks.

1. Chiefs; 2. Bills; 3. Ravens; 4. Texans; 5. Chargers; 6. Bengals; 7. Patriots.

Wild card: Bills over Patriots; Ravens over Bengals; Chargers over Texans.

Divisional: Chiefs over Chargers; Bills over Ravens.

Conference championship: Chiefs over Bills.

1. Seahawks; 2. Eagles; 3. Lions; 4. Buccaneers; 5. Rams; 6. 49ers; 7. Packers.

Wild card: Eagles over Packers; Lions over 49ers; Rams over Buccaneers.

Divisional: Seahawks over Rams; Lions over Eagles.

Conference championship: Seahawks over Lions.

1. Chiefs; 2. Patriots; 3. Texans; 4. Ravens; 5. Broncos; 6. Bills; 7. Jaguars.

Wild Card: Patriots over Jaguars; Texans over Bills; Broncos over Ravens.

Divisional: Chiefs over Broncos; Texans over Patriots.

AFC Championship Game: Chiefs over Texans.

1. Rams; 2. Lions; 3. Cowboys; 4. Saints; 5. Seahawks; 6. Packers; 7. Eagles.

Wild Card: Lions over Eagles; Packers over Cowboys; Seahawks over Saints.

Divisional: Rams over Packers; Seahawks over Lions.

NFC Championship Game: Rams over Seahawks.

1. Bills; 2. Broncos; 3. Texans; 4. Ravens; 5. Patriots; 6. Chiefs; 7. Bengals.

Wild Card: Bengals over Broncos; Texans over Chiefs; Ravens over Patriots.

Divisional: Bills over Bengals; Texans over Ravens.

1. Rams; 2. Cowboys; 3. Lions; 4. Saints; 5. Eagles; 6. Bears; 7. Seahawks.

Wild Card: Seahawks over Cowboys; Lions over Bears; Eagles over Saints.

Divisional: Rams over Seahawks; Eagles over Lions.

1. Texans; 2. Bills; 3. Chiefs; 4. Bengals; 5. Broncos; 6. Patriots; 7. Jaguars.

Wild card: Bills over Jaguars; Chiefs over Patriots; Bengals over Broncos.

Divisional: Bengals over Texans; Bills over Chiefs.

Conference championship: Bengals over Bills.

1. Rams; 2. Vikings; 3. Giants; 4. Saints; 5. Cowboys; 6. Seahawks; 7. Lions.

Wild card: Vikings over Lions; Seahawks over Giants; Cowboys over Saints.

Divisional: Rams over Cowboys; Vikings over Seahawks.

Conference championship: Rams over Vikings.