The NFL is back, with the 2026 season set to kick off Wednesday night.
Last year was a weird one for the AFC, with injuries shaking things up early and often, resulting in a playoff bracket that didn’t include three of the league’s best quarterbacks: Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow. Instead, Bo Nix’s Broncos took a major step forward, and Drake Maye’s Patriots served as the conference’s representative in Super Bowl LX.
Will this year bring a return of (relative) normalcy? Parity should be at an all-time high, and while the schedule can be a bit of a marathon, it feels like one must maintain a season-long sprint to get to the top of this deep conference.
Before we dive into the season, we’re taking a look at each AFC team and highlighting one big question about the year to come. The answers will likely inform who rises and who falls.
2025 record: 10-7, lost to Texans in Wild Card Round
One big question: What does the post-Tomlin era look like?
It’s a big question that extends beyond just the actual football being played, and goes deep into the locker room culture and the overall vibe of this organization — one that is so steeped in tradition and includes a run of more than two decades without a losing record.
This is Mike McCarthy’s team now. And, for one more year, it’s Aaron Rodgers’ offence to helm as he reunites with his old bench boss from their days in Green Bay one last time. Collaborating on a winning record would be a fitting way for Rodgers to hang up his cleats and for McCarthy’s hometown tour to begin, but what would it mean for the future of this aging Steelers roster in the bigger picture?
2025 record: 8-9, missed playoffs
One big question: Can Jackson regain MVP form?
Even when he wasn’t injured, Lamar Jackson simply didn’t look like his usual self on the field last season — his lack of mobility and command was a stark difference from one year prior, when he was lighting up the league on a weekly basis. Sweeping sideline changes this off-season brought new voices at head coach (Jesse Minter) and offensive wiz kid (coordinator Declan Doyle), and all signs point to Jackson being rejuvenated at the helm of what should be one of the NFL’s most dynamic offences. Jackson’s love of fresh starts is well-documented — the last two seasons in which he’s had a new offensive coordinator, he’s won league MVP. A bounce back under a new scheme would get this win-now club back on track.
2025 record: 6-11, missed playoffs
One big question: Can Burrow & Co. overcome defensive deficiencies?
It’s very possible — probable, even — that the 2026 Bengals’ defence is not actually all that bad. There were signs late last year of things starting to gel, and this off-season brought in veterans Dexter Lawrence and Bryan Cook, among other new names on that side of the ball.
But it’s also very possible — again, probable — that this defence isn’t going to be the driving force getting them wins. That’s Joe Burrow’s job, and he’s well-equipped to do just that. Health is the biggest question mark here. It’s easy to say that about every QB league-wide, but we’ve seen enough Bengals seasons wiped out due to Burrow being sidelined that it’s especially front-of-mind here. With Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins all in their prime, this team is built to blow out opponents with as talented an air offence as you can find in the league — and they cannot afford another lost campaign.
2025 record: 5-12, missed playoffs
One big question: How bad can this QB situation get?
Do we really want to know?
An ill-fated union from the start, the ongoing situation between the Cleveland Browns, Deshaun Watson, and the fans, has gotten uglier and uglier. That he was named the season starter, despite incredibly poor pre-season play and a fan reception to match, is a baffling bit of business, not to mention a damning assessment of Shedeur Sanders’ development.
Sorry, Browns fans: It’s going to be a long season again.
2025 record: 14-3, lost to Seahawks in Super Bowl
One big question: Are Maye and Brown the NFL’s next great QB-WR duo?
Drake Maye was a few votes shy of claiming MVP honours and one win away from hoisting the Lombardi Trophy atop the Super Bowl LX stage in just his second year in the NFL.
A.J. Brown is a perennial 1,000-plus-yard receiver with a championship ring and chip on his shoulder.
Put them together, and you’ve got a recipe for an offensive explosion on a New England team better known last season for its defence. With that defence projected to take a step back this year, the Patriots may need to serve up some splashy plays and lean on offence if they’re to get back to the Super Bowl.
2025 record: 12-5, lost to Broncos in Divisional Round
One big question: Can Brady push Buffalo over the edge?
For the first time in his pro career, Josh Allen enters a season without Sean McDermott on the sideline. Of all the newness this season brings in Buffalo — a new home stadium, a new No. 1 receiver in D.J. Moore — the new coaching staff is the one under the biggest spotlight. While Brady himself isn’t new to Allen or this organization, having first joined the staff back in 2022, his promotion ushers in a new chapter, and great hopes that he can take a team on the brink of a championship under McDermott and push it to the top. McDermott’s departure also means a new voice at the helm of this defence, which struggled mightily last season. Between Brady and new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, the Bills might just have the final pieces to this puzzle.
2025 record: 7-10, missed playoffs
One big question: Is Willis a true QB1?
Four years as a pro has yielded a small sample size when it comes to what Malik Willis can do. The Titans were quick to move on from him in 2023 after just three starts in his rookie year one season prior and 11 overall appearances. He saw the same number of starts and appearances in two years with the Packers as Jordan Love’s backup, but it was enough to form a line of interested suitors for the free agent’s services this off-season. Willis isn’t exactly surrounded by weapons in Miami, but if the 27-year-old can make the most of his first real opportunity to helm an offence, the rebuilding Dolphins might be better than we think.
2025 record: 3-14, missed playoffs
One big question: Can Smith write another great comeback story?
After reviving his career in Seattle, Geno Smith looked every bit the starting QB he was slated to be when the Jets first selected him in the second round of the 2013 draft. But after a disastrous season in Vegas last year, which saw him lead the league in interceptions (17), he returns to Gang Green in need of another fresh start a decade after his departure from a dysfunctional Jets squad. The cast and crew is entirely different, but is this roster any more… functional? While he’s not walking into as good a situation as the one he saw in Seattle, the Jets’ offensive line should be markedly better than the paper-thin wall he played behind in Vegas, and the run game more well-rounded and set up for success in Act II.
2025 record: 13-4, lost to Bills in Wild Card Round
One big question: Will Lawrence start on time?
Last season’s win streak to close out the year and clinch the division was football cinema. It was also very Jaguar-ian. We’ve seen streaky play define Jacksonville’s seasons in ways both good (eight straight wins, and a 9-1 post-bye record to clinch the division last year) and bad (a 3-6 post-bye crumble to fall out of contention two years prior).
Head coach Liam Coen clearly found a way to harness Trevor Lawrence’s elite skillset and gave him the confidence to build on it as last season went on. Now, in his second year in charge, how Coen and Lawrence set the tone for the season could mark a real shift in this team’s identity — from a streaky club to a sustainable contender.
2025 record: 12-5, lost to Patriots in Divisional Round
One big question: Is this O-line up to the task?
We know exactly what to expect from the Texans’ defence this year — think last season’s dominance, only better — but can’t say the same about the offence. And while C.J. Stroud’s playoff struggles last year still feel front-of-mind, as do questions about the receiving depth and run game, all roads lead to the state of the offensive line. While the unit was improved after 2024’s sack-filled campaign for Stroud, it was still a patchwork project in 2025. The arrival of highly touted rookie guard Keylan Rutledge brings a much-needed upgrade, and it’ll be interesting to see how things gel early on. It’s not just about keeping Stroud on his feet in this all-important season that carries plenty of contract questions, but about helping the run game, too. A strong offensive line would take this roster from playoff team to real-deal Super Bowl threat.
2025 record: 8-9, missed playoffs
One big question: Can Jones replicate last season’s early success?
Remember how hot the Colts’ offence was in the first half of last season? It took a fractured fibula to slow down Daniel Jones, then a torn Achilles to stop him altogether — and halt the Colts’ season overall in the process.
Looking back, that injury prompted one of the biggest “what ifs” of the year: What if Jones had stayed healthy?
We’ll never know the answer, but our best shot at the next best thing comes nearly a year later. Jones is back now, with a clean bill of health, a full training camp’s worth of first-team reps — a remarkable feat in itself, given the seriousness of his injury — the full support of the franchise, and a series of big tests right out of the gates. The Colts open their season against Baltimore this Sunday, followed by Kansas City, and then get the daunting task of facing Houston’s elite defence to close out September. Survive that, and the Colts could be fun once again.
2025 record: 3-14, missed playoffs
One big question: Do the Titans have something in Ward and Tate?
It was hard to get a true read on Cam Ward as a rookie, considering the pieces around him. Uninspiring numbers always came with a few caveats — his lack of consistency from the sideline being a big one, with Brian Callahan fired after a 1-5 opening stint, and his lack of a true No. 1 receiver being another.
This year, things look different. He has a new head coach in Robert Saleh, and a new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, a man best known for helping Josh Allen find his footing early in his career. He has a new big weapon in fourth overall pick Carnell Tate and a WR2 in Wan’Dale Robinson.
And, most importantly, he has a season’s worth of NFL snaps under his belt. How he builds on that will set the tone and the trajectory of this Tennessee team right off the hop.
2025 record: 14-3, lost to Patriots in AFC Championship
One big question: Can the run game take over?
A lot of the intrigue around Denver’s upcoming season is focused on whether or not Bo Nix can improve his game — his accuracy on long balls, his patience when reading defences, his overall consistency, especially now that Jaylen Waddle is a Bronco. But what if he doesn’t have to? What if the Broncos’ deep group of running backs can shoulder more of the load?
While Nix’s mobility is such an integral part of his game, the fact he’s coming off a pair of ankle surgeries suggests the club would be wise to lean on the trio of J.K. Dobbins, R.J. Harvey, and rookie Jonah Coleman — especially in the early goings — to revive the run game.
2025 record: 11-6, lost to Patriots in Wild Card Round
One big question: How does McDaniel harness Herbert’s talents?
Remember the Miami Dolphins offence that wowed the league through much of 2023 and 2024? The one that saw Tua Tagovailoa consistently lead the league in time-to-throw and had defenders struggling to keep up with the pace?
Now, picture for a moment that same quick pace — but attach Justin Herbert’s arm and accuracy.
Scary, right? The hiring of former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to Jim Harbaugh’s coaching staff in L.A. generated so much buzz not just because we might have the NFL’s most entertaining press conferences on our hands but because we might finally get to see what happens when you combine one of the most physically gifted quarterbacks in the game with one of the most sought-after minds in the league.
This could be really fun. Also, necessary. Considering the state of L.A.’s offensive line right now, with its devastating tradition of o-line injuries every autumn, it’s paramount that Herbert gets rid of the ball fast if he’s to stay on his feet.
2025 record: 6-11, missed playoffs
One big question: Can Walker help this offence turn back the clock?
As long as Patrick Mahomes is on the field, the Chiefs have a chance to win. We know this. But Mahomes’ knee injury was far from the only reason the Chiefs’ offence fell flat last year.
The lack of offensive explosiveness — a theme for a few years now — has been a major factor, as has a run game that’s slowed down to something resembling more of a light jog. Major question marks remain for the passing game — i.e., do the Chiefs have a trusted pair of hands for Mahomes? — but with the acquisition of reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, it’s clear Kansas City is looking to restore at least one major element of those three straight trips to the Super Bowl. (Okay, two: Eric Bieniemy’s return as offensive coordinator should restore some familiar zip in KC, too.)
2025 record: 3-14, missed playoffs
One big question: Crosby is still a Raider… but for how long?
So plentiful are the questions about these Raiders, it feels impossible to choose just one. Can Ashton Jeanty shake off a pre-season injury scare and shine in Year 2? How great can Brock Bowers be under Klint Kubiak’s system? And is this a true redshirt year for Fernando Mendoza?
So, let’s choose a question we should actually get an answer to sooner rather than later: Will Maxx Crosby be traded in-season? After the dramatic turn of events that saw the Ravens trade for the Raiders’ star pass-rusher this past spring, then back out of the deal and return him to Vegas, it’s been all quiet in the rumour mill. Feels like a recipe for a career year for Crosby, considering the chip that must be sitting firmly on his shoulder. At what point do teams come calling? And is it possible Vegas keeps him after all?