The NFL season has wrapped up, and the Seahawks finished it in style. Seattle overwhelmed the Patriots in Super Bowl LX, completing a surprising run to only the second championship in franchise history. After missing the playoffs the previous two seasons, the Seahawks began this campaign as 60-1 longshots and even lost their home opener to the 49ers, starting 0-1.
Seattle answered those early doubts by getting revenge on San Francisco — beating them in the regular-season finale and again on the 49ers’ home field in the playoffs en route to the title. With that championship now secured, it’s time to glance ahead at early odds for next season and consider which teams could follow a similar path in 2026.
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On the futures board, the Seahawks are now the favorite to repeat, listed at +750 — the shortest price of any team — a chance to become the first NFC club to win consecutive titles since the 1990s Cowboys. That’s a huge change from about this time last year, when they were priced as distant longshots at +6,000. The New York Giants sit high on the list at +7,000 and are an intriguing long-term play; their roster resembles the 2025 AFC Champion Patriots, and they’ll have a promising second-year QB in Jackson Dart along with new head coach John Harbaugh, who brings proven NFL success.
Seattle’s championship run was one of the sport’s bigger surprises — the largest outright upset since the 2002 Patriots season when Tom Brady first took over as starter. As for my personal pick, I’m leaning toward the Chargers at +1500 to win Super Bowl LXI.
Justin Herbert’s playoff résumé has drawn criticism in the past, but we’ve seen quarterbacks shed that reputation before — much like Sam Darnold did during the Seahawks’ run. Many players don’t record big postseason wins until they finally break through.
The Chargers’ main issue this past season was an undermanned and overworked offensive line, but that problem should ease if key pieces return healthy in 2026. Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt both missed most of 2025; with them back, Los Angeles would boast a far more reliable front, a talented QB in Herbert, last year’s top defense, and an accomplished coach in Jim Harbaugh.
The AFC West remains stacked, though the Chiefs might start the year without Patrick Mahomes as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in December — something that could reshape the early AFC pecking order. Given the potential offensive-line fixes, defensive strength, and coaching stability, don’t be surprised if Herbert overcomes past playoff woes and leads the Chargers back into the postseason next year.
My pick: Chargers (+1500) to win Super Bowl LXI.
Fan take: This matters because upsets and rapid turnarounds like Seattle’s keep the league unpredictable and exciting for fans, showing how quickly fortunes can change. If teams such as the Chargers capitalize on health and coaching continuity, the NFL could see a new crop of contenders and a more wide-open race for the next title.
