4 NFL teams who didn’t make the playoffs, but will in 2026

This is the time for hope and optimism to reign supreme across the NFL, with 29 fanbases believing this could be their year to make noise, while the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Jets continue to exist — content with already shaping themselves into tanking teams hoping to find their quarterback of the future next year.

Within those 29 hopefuls lie strata of realism. Everyone hopes their team will shake off the doldrums, make the playoffs, and go on a Cinderella run, but if we’re being honest, there are only so many spots to be had. That said, some tea leaves are shaping up to give us real faith in a handful of teams to either bounce back into the playoffs, or finally crack through — with everything shaping up so these organizations can still be playing in January.

No. 1: Detroit Lions

Everyone would agree that the 2025 season was an injury-filled aberration that left the Lions with a 9-8 record and outside of the playoffs. Everything is shaping up for this team to bounce back in a major way. Not only is the team healthy, but they made a lot of depth acquisitions in free agency to mitigate the risk moving forward.

Not only are the Lions still every bit of the NFC Championship-potential team they have been in recent years, but they enter the 2026 season with one of the easiest strength of schedules based on the 2025 season. That’s often an imperfect predictor, but with scheduled games against the Saints, Jets, Titans, Dolphins, and Cardinals — well, you might as well pencil them in for five wins without a lot of difficulty.

Expect this team to make noise. They may or may not win the NFC North, but they will absolutely make the playoffs.

No. 2: Indianapolis Colts

It’s been really easy to forget about the Colts in the lead-up to the season. Everyone has Houston and Jacksonville penciled in as playoff locks, ignoring that two more teams exist in the AFC South. How quickly we forget that the Colts went 8-4 prior to Daniel Jones’ season-ending achilles injury, and prior to that he was already dealing with a separate issue with his fibula.

While Indianapolis lost some key names in free agency, they also retained their core. The Colts will have a full season of Sauce Gardner to help on the defensive side of the ball, the team expects Jones will make a full recovery, and their opponent slate includes two against the Titans, as well as the Dolphins and Browns. It’s a good opponent base to get back on track. I expect them to be a Wild Card team when playoff time rolls around.

No. 3: New York Giants

This is the pick that could easily backfire when it’s all said and done, mostly because it hinges on Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo to remain healthy — which wasn’t in the cards last year. Still, there are some unshakeable realities to this version of Big Blue:

1. John Harbaugh is the most profound coaching upgrade in the NFL this season
2. The Giants had a killer draft full of players who can help right away
3. The NFC East is profoundly chaotic, opening the door for anyone to surprise

In looking at these Giants I just see the overwhelming potential of their pass rush, paired with Harbaugh’s mind for the game, and sprinkling in the offensive pop they’ve gained and it leaves me with an organization that it wouldn’t surprise me if they stun the NFL and win the NFC East.

No. 4: Kansas City Chiefs

This was iffy until reports emerged that Patrick Mahomes was ahead of schedule, with the belief he could make his return Week 1 of the regular season. That timeline might be a tad hopeful, but even if he’s able to come back in the first four or five games, well, the Chiefs will be a threat.

There’s no doubt Kansas City was bad a year ago with far too many close games not going their way. Nine of their 11 losses in 2025 came by a single score or less, putting the Chiefs right at that pivot point where it’s fairly easy to see them flipping the script and netting a lot more wins. They have a difficult path through the Broncos and Chargers in the AFC West, but with Mahomes back and their new players integrated, I think Andy Reid will find a way to get this team back into the playoff picture.