The best possible 2026 Super Bowl matchups, ranked ahead of AFC, NFC Championships

As we approach the AFC and NFC Championship game it’s time to start thinking about who to pull for in order to have the most exciting Super Bowl possible. That’s all we can ask for unless you’re a fan of one of the teams remaining. If we’re being honest the last two Super Bowls were absolute duds, with Chiefs fatigue transitioning to Eagles fatigue to form a “blah” soup.

All we know at this point is that we’re guaranteed to get one first-time Super Bowl quarterback in the mix out of the AFC. In these playoffs the only QB remaining who has an appearance to his name is Matthew Stafford, who won with the Rams in 2022. These are the best possible matchups we could get this year based on the remaining teams.

No. 4: Denver Broncos vs. Los Angeles Rams

Denver is going to be at the bottom of this list, and it’s no shade on the Broncos who are actually one of the most fun teams left in the playoffs — but nobody wants to culminate the NFL season watching Jarrett Stidham attempt to play football.

A Broncos vs. Rams Super Bowl feels like the biggest blowout we could get of the four potential games. Denver’s defense is good, but not good enough to stop Los Angeles on offense, and without Bo Nix it’s impossible to see how they would hang with Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, and Davante Adams.

There’s a different timeline where this is one of the best matchups to watch, but not any more.

No. 3: Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks

All the same trappings as above apply here, but Broncos vs. Seahawks would be slightly more interesting due to the fact that both teams have really creative, varied defenses — and Sam Darnold isn’t nearly as automatic in pressure situations as Matthew Stafford.

It might take Darnold turning into a pumpkin for Denver to win, but it’s a sliver of a chance that could make the game compelling.

No. 2: New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams

This would be a rematch of Super Bowl LIII in 2019, though the teams are so different from then. That game was Tom Brady winning his last ring with the Patriots by toppling an inexperienced Jared Goff and a first-time Super Bowl appearance for Sean McVay.

Now inexperience is on the other foot, with the Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye-led Pats coming in as the young guns. It would be fun to see the two quarterbacks go all-out in a deep passing battle. Defensively these two teams are also most closely matched of the field, with there being less of a delta in points and yards allowed between these teams — making it perhaps the most evenly matched Super Bowl.

The reason this game doesn’t take the top spot is because we’ve seen the Rams win before. We’ve seen Stafford hoist the Lombardi, and McVay celebrate. The possibility of familiarity takes a little shine off this matchup.

No. 1: New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks

Another past Super Bowl matchup, this time we have to go back to 2015, when Tom Brady beat Russell Wilson. Naturally both teams are entirely different from over a decade ago, but like that last meeting, there’s a ton of fascinating elements to this game.

Quarterback play in New England and Seattle makes for a fascinating matchup of two players nobody ever expected to be in this position. Drake Maye, the sophomore year phenom who made a case for MVP this season, and Sam Darnold, whose return to success after being regarded a “bust” has been one of the best stories in the NFL this season. We also have two fantastic secondary units with the tools to stop each other.

With the Broncos being without Bo Nix it leaves the Patriots as the top team in the AFC by a significant margin. This game would allow us to see the best of each division complete in the Super Bowl, crowning a first-time winning coach, quarterback, and dozens of players.

When the dust settles on Championship weekend this is the matchup we should be most excited for.