We saw a ton of parity in the NFL during the 2025 season, as not many predicted that the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks would be in the Super Bowl, as both teams were totally out of the playoffs the prior season.
If this ends up being the case in 2026, there could be a flat-out unexpected Super Bowl matchup for the second year in a row, and this is what makes the NFL so great. Given how many talented teams there are across the league, it feels nearly impossible that we'd see the same 14 teams in the playoffs this coming season.
Let's talk about a few non-playoff teams from the 2025 season that could return in 2026.
Could these non-playoff teams return to the playoffs in the 2026 NFL Season?
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens made a huge move this offseason to fire John Harbaugh and hire Jesse Minter. Minter joins the Ravens after two awesome years as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator, and I cannot be the only one who thinks that the Ravens hiring Minter feels like them correcting course from letting Mike Macdonald depart as the Seahawks head coach.
The Ravens did struggle to stay healthy in the first part of the 2025 season, but still nearly won the AFC North if not for a missed field goal, so it's not going to be a stretch to see this team back in the playoffs in 2026 if the injuries regress to the mean, and Minter's defensive prowess could help that unit get back on a track, as well.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals underwent a defensive overhaul this past offseason, and even if this unit is average, the Bengals elite offense should be good enough to help this group win 10+ games. Given how prolific that side of the ball can be, you aren't asking much from the defense, right?
As long as Joe Burrow stays healthy, this team is plenty good enough to get back into the postseason.
Detroit Lions
Sporting one of the best rosters in the NFL, the Detroit Lions have been dealing with some injuries the past two seasons, and it's not a talent issue with this team. General Manager Brad Holmes has assembled one of the best groups in the NFL, as this team ended up winning 27 regular season games in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, which feels like a fake statistic, but it's not.
Even in a down year, the Lions still finished with nine wins, so all you might be asking from this group is some better injury luck on defense, especially in the secondary. Suddenly, the Lions finishing with double-digit wins in 2026 doesn't seem all that crazy.
Dallas Cowboys
Another team with a great offense but a poor defense last year, the Dallas Cowboys also got in on the fun with a defensive overhaul this past offseason. Like the Bengals, you're not asking much from the Cowboys defense - even finishing as the 18th-ranked unit in points allowed would likely be enough for the NFC East title, even.
Dallas runs the ball well. They can throw the ball all over the place, and Dak Prescott is one of the best in the league. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker is under some pressure, but also not under a ton of pressure to field an elite unit.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
One of the lowest-ceiling playoff-caliber teams in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a rock-solid roster, but it's nothing special. Todd Bowles is a solid head coach, but he's nothing special, as we have seen this team eclipse at 10 wins in the Bowles' era, which is fine, but, again, nothing special.
The NFC South is a weaker division, so an offensive rebound from the Buccaneers in 2026 would have this team right back in the mix. Tampa finished 8-9 in 2025, but so did the Carolina Panthers, a team that won the division.
A 9-8 season from Tampa Bay, which is something they have done before, could be enough for a division title in 2026.