Fourteen teams made Conor Orr’s 2026 Super Bowl LXI contender list—expanded from 12 last year—as he argued the NFL looks more open than during Kansas City’s recent run.
Houston emerged as Orr’s title pick because of what he called the league’s most complete defense, plus a reworked offensive line and David Montgomery to help C.J. Stroud rebound.
The Rams were framed as the strongest on-paper roster after adding Myles Garrett, Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie, while Orr also put the Ravens, Bills, Bears, Cowboys, Broncos, Lions, Packers, Jaguars, Chargers, Patriots, 49ers and Seahawks in contention.
Kansas City, Philadelphia and Cincinnati were notable omissions: Orr questioned the Chiefs’ secondary losses and run game, the Eagles’ coaching and scheme changes, and the Bengals’ reliance on Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase staying healthy.
Defense and schedule strength drove much of the ranking, with Orr favoring versatile fronts and explosive rushing attacks over star power alone.