There were a bunch of NFL teams in the 2025 season who either surpassed expectations or punched above their weight. With the 2026 offseason officially here, here are a few teams that could take a step back in the 2026 season.
NFL Teams Who Could Take A Step Back in 2026
5. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers made the playoffs with a losing record at 8-9 by winning the NFC South division. They gave the LA Rams a tough game, but the NFC South division should be better this season. The Buccaneers have made changes to their offensive staff, and the Saints finished the season strong as well. The Falcons overhauled their coaching staff and front office and are looking to make a playoff push of their own.
Carolina will need to make a significant personnel jump, as well as bank on quarterback Bryce Young‘s individual improvement. Not only could Carolina not win the division again next year, but they could also find themselves missing the playoffs entirely.
4. Seattle Seahawks
The Super Bowl LX champions could be in for a slight step back for the 2026 season. Winning a championship is difficult and taxing, and to be one of the last teams playing means a shorter offseason, which the Seahawks will have. They will also have a new offensive coordinator in 2026, as Klint Kubiak has gone on to take the Las Vegas Raiders head coaching job.
3. Buffalo Bills
The Bills underwent some cosmic franchise changes this offseason. They fired Sean McDermott, looking for a fresh change, only to promote offensive coordinator Joe Brady to the head job. Brady will be in his first year as a head coach in a year in which the Bills will be expected to reach the Super Bowl at least. It could take a while for Brady to find his footing as a head coach, and that could result in fewer wins for the Bills in 2026.
2. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have made the playoffs the last five seasons and have won the NFC East back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2004. They were the Super Bowl champions for the 2024 season before taking a slight step back in 2025, losing the wild-card round. This offseason has already taken a turn for the Eagles as they fired their offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo, to hire Sean Mannion, and then shortly thereafter, legendary offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland decided to step away from the team in a stunning announcement.
The A.J. Brown situation is still lingering for Philly as well.
1. New England Patriots
The Patriots are due for a natural regression in 2026. They went 14-3 in the regular season, reached the Super Bowl, but had one of the easiest schedules in NFL history. The Patriots truly punched above their weight in the 2025 season and could actually be a year or two away from actually building the team they want to be.
Since they won the AFC East division this year, they will face a first-place schedule. Some of New England’s notable opponents for next season are the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, and the Chicago Bears.
Main Image: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
