By Taylor Jenkins

NFL shield logo. Image credit: RustyBrick on Flickr.

Fourteen teams, one goal: to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the center of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California this Sunday, February 8. With six teams entering the playoff field after missing the postseason last year, and the Kansas City Chiefs’ decade-long dynasty snapping with their first playoff absence in ten seasons, this year’s NFL playoffs opened last month with a sense of unpredictability. It was truly anyone’s year at the start of the NFL playoffs. 

To get some clarity heading into the postseason, I turned to a few friends who, for better or for worse, had zero hesitation declaring their Super Bowl Champion at the beginning of the playoffs. Their confidence was admirable. Their accuracy was less so. 

Rhodes Neuner (’26) came out swinging with a bold prediction back in early January: “Despite the consistent history of first-round exits in the past, Aaron Rodgers is what this team needs to make it back to the Super Bowl. My money is on the Steelers.” After finishing first in the AFC North, the Pittsburgh Steelers were looking to upset any team they faced off against. With DK Metcalf returning after a two-game suspension, and a strong running back duo between Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, the Steelers’ offense was looking to gain momentum at the right time. Their defense, despite struggling against the pass and run at the beginning of the season, seemed to have been picking up steam. Despite all that promise, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season came to a close during Wild Card Weekend in a battle against the Houston Texans in a 30 to 6 loss on Jan. 12. It is safe to say whatever money Neuner put on the Steelers is now resting peacefully in the sportsbooks’ pocket. 

Sam McGrath (’26) didn’t hesitate when asked: “I have full faith in my Bears. Mark my word, the Chicago Bears are winning it all.” Despite coming in at the #2 seed, the Chicago Bears were the ultimate underdog story. After finishing 5-12 last season and finishing dead last in the NFC North, this year’s Chicago Bears were nearly unrecognizable compared to last year’s squad. With a brand new head coach, and second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, the Bears impressed throughout the season. On the opposite side of the ball, they also possessed generational talent. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds led the team in tackles, with 83, and safety Kevin Byard led the league in interceptions, racking up a total of seven across this season. Despite the Chicago Bears’ miracle run, McGrath’s take aged like milk. The Chicago Bears season ended in a heartbreaking loss in the divisional round against the Rams in a 20-17 loss on Jan. 18. 

When asked about the playoffs weeks ago, Zach Jarvis (’26) kept it short and sweet: “Trevor Lawrence is the best quarterback in the league. The Jacksonville Jaguars are my pick.” As the 3rd seed, the Jacksonville Jaguars were coming straight off an eight-game win streak. Led by first-year head coach Liam Coen and fifth-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence, they ranked 6th in points per game and 11th in yards per game. On the other side, they were complemented by one of the top turnover-producing defenses and the league-leading run defense. They looked like a team built for January. That was until the first round of the playoffs, when they lost 24-27 to the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 11. 

Teddy Revere (’26) delivered his playoff take with confidence weeks ago: “The Packers are the best team in the NFL, and that will show this postseason.” The Green Bay Packers are a familiar face in the playoffs. Coached by Matt LaFleur and quarterback Jordan Love, the Packers were no team to count out entering this year’s postseason. Despite losing edge rusher Micah Parsons, defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, and cornerback Kamal Hadden, this Packers defense seemed to have enough depth to constrain any opposing offense. Well, any opposing offense except second-half Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears. After taking an 18‑point lead into halftime in their Jan. 10 game, the Packers played as if the result had already been signed in ink. It wasn’t. Williams and the Bears clawed back into the game, erasing the deficit and winning 31–27 on Wild Card weekend.

Reid Moyer (’26), a proud Philadelphian, had declared: “Don’t count out my Birds. The Eagles are going back-to-back.” As the #3 seed and reigning champions, the Philadelphia Eagles held one of the most talented rosters on paper. Quarterback Jalen Hurts finished the regular season with 25 passing touchdowns and only six interceptions. Their star wide receiver duo, DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown, were both able to reach 1,000 receiving yards. Their star running back, Saquon Barkley reached 1,307 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns. On top of this, their defense ranked among the top in the NFL, led by defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter and covered by two All-Pro cornerbacks, Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell. Orchestrated by Vic Fangio, a defensive wizard, the Eagles’ defense was serious trouble for opposing teams. The Eagles were in serious contention of repeating as Super Bowl champions. Sadly for Moyer and his fellow Philadelphians, the Eagles season came to a close in a 19 to 23 loss against the San Francisco 49ers on Jan. 11. 

After the dust settled, only two teams remain standing for this Sunday’s game: The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. 

The New England Patriots have returned to Super Bowl contention behind All-Pro quarterback Drake Maye. As one of the top candidates for this year’s league MVP, Maye has thrown for 4,394 yards, thrown 31 touchdowns, and done all of  this at a 72% completion rate. Their offense consistently produced points, but their true strengths lie on defense. Defensive Standouts Jack Gibbens, Milton Williams, and Christian Gonzalez became household names as the Patriots marched through the postseason. Now the Patriots stand just one win away from hosting a Duck Parade through downtown Boston, celebrating the franchise’s eighth Super Bowl victory and their return to the championship standard that defined an entire era of NFL history. The only question left: Can they finish the job when it matters most? 

Entering the playoffs, representing the NFC as the #1 seed, the Seattle Seahawks are one win away from winning their first Super Bowl since 2014. Led by quarterback Sam Darnold, the Seahawks have been able to thrive offensively as they led the league in point differential of +191. Their explosive-threat wide receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, led the league in receiving yards, as he racked up a total of 1,793 yards across the regular season. But similar to the Patriots their greatest strength is their defense. Some know them as The Dark Side; others know them as the second coming of the Legion of Boom. With all-pro cornerback Devon Witherspoon, their pass defense is rated 10th in the league. With All-Pro defensive end, Leonard Williams, their run defense is rated 3rd. On top of this, they rank 2nd in the NFL in scoring defense and 6th in total defense. The Seahawks have been showing up and showing out this entire season, but when everything is on the line, will they do it again? 

With the field narrowed from fourteen to just two, the stage is finally set. And with everything on the line, it’s time to make my pick. With momentum that’s been building since Week 1, and a roster playing its sharpest football at the perfect moment, the Seattle Seahawks swarmed into the postseason looking every bit like a team destined to win on the sport’s largest stage. A defense that hits with attitude, flies to the ball, and puts fear in the eyes of opposing quarterbacks, paired with an offense that can beat you with the pass or the run, is undeniably unstoppable. This is why the Seattle Seahawks are my pick for the 2026 Super Bowl champion. 

Featured image credit: WBUR Boston via flickr.