The NFL can be so volatile year after year, which is why you have to capitalize on your opportunities when they come your way. For a number of teams that made the playoffs in the 2025 season, the opportunity has already passed them by.
And we're calling our shot now -- there are a number of them that won't be back next year.
There are 14 teams in the playoff field every year. On average, there are six new teams each year making it to the postseason. There will be a handful of very disappointed fan bases next year at this time, but who?
NFL Predictions: Which teams will miss the playoffs in 2026 after making it in 2025?
1. Carolina Panthers
Let's start with some low-hanging fruit, because the Carolina Panthers were the only team in the postseason this year to have a losing record. Although this does appear to be a team on the rise in a number of ways, they also can't expect to reach the playoffs next season with eight or nine wins.
Then again, you never know with the NFC South...
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
At some point, the carriage is going to turn into a pumpkin. The clock's going to strike midnight. The luck is going to run out. The Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the most obvious "frauds" all year in the NFL and they proved exactly that with their playoff effort against the Houston Texans.
Mike Tomlin's teams seem inevitable with 9 or 10 wins every year, but with the future of Aaron Rodgers hanging in the balance, as well as a rather old roster overall, this should be the year the Steelers are on the outside looking in.
3. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers have officially "Chargered". The playoff collapse for Justin Herbert and the Chargers has come to pass, and this team is once again left with the task of winning the "Most Impressive Offseason" award as well as the "Best Schedule Release Video" award.
Justin Herbert is now 0-3 in the playoffs in his NFL career. The AFC will likely have a number of teams bouncing back in 2025 and I'm calling the Chargers being left out. They have a lot of key departures defensively, including potentially coordinator Jesse Minter. The health status of Rashawn Slater is a major question mark (not to mention Joe Alt). The offensive line is in shambles.
They might still win 9 or 10 games but I'm saying they narrowly miss next year.
4. Green Bay Packers
I hesitate to even put the Packers in this category, but I'm going to make a case anyway.
The NFC North had two teams with a combined 29 wins in 2024 (Lions and Vikings) both miss the playoffs in 2025. And to say either the Lions or Vikings would miss the playoffs going into this year would have been considered a hot take.
So the Packers aren't exempt. And the NFC is looking loaded for the foreseeable future. This is a team that has so much talent, but now they are entering the offseason with major injury concerns and no 1st-round pick. We'll see what happens.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
I wouldn't say I'm overly confident in this one, either, but the Jacksonville Jaguars are another team that could end up looking like one of the best teams in the NFL this year, and miss the postseason in 2026.
The Jaguars play in a competitive division and with both the Texans and Colts having strong rosters and coaching, they're already facing stiff competition and a thin margin for error next year. The Jags don't have a 1st-round pick, and they won't be catching anyone off guard next year.