With the 2025 NFL season officially completed, all 32 teams now turn their attention to 2026 and their hopes of raising the Lombardi trophy. As the Philadelphia Eagles know, repeating as Super Bowl champions is extremely difficult; only the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots have repeated in the 21st century.
With the Seattle Seahawks the "top dog" of the NFL right now, 31 teams are now "gunning" after them in hopes of earning the Lombardi trophy. Bleacher Report writer Brad Gagnon believes, despite an anemic end to the 2025 season, the Philadelphia Eagles should remain contenders for a title in 2026, with Gagnon believing they have the third-highest chance of winning the Super Bowl this year.
"At one point this past fall, the 2024 Super Bowl champion Eagles had won 20 of 21 games. They hit some snags the rest of the way and went one-and-done in the playoffs but have championship pedigree and arguably the deepest overall roster in the NFL."
Eagles could be one of Seahawks' biggest threats for Super Bowl in 2026
The Eagles' "core" should still be intact heading into 2026, which is a group that at one point won 20 of 21 games before the midseason mark. While Philadelphia limped its way into the playoffs and ultimately lost to the San Francisco 49ers, the team rostered a championship pedigree of players who've had success in the playoffs, with plenty of depth throughout their "53". While the Eagles are not a perfect team, an offseason program led by Howie Roseman should allow Philadelphia to retool, reevaluate, and reassess its needs, giving the team an enhanced makeover for the 2026 season.
Philly has plenty of relevant experience, but Father Time is entering the conversation. Saquon Barkley will enter the ninth year of his career and approach his age-30 season. Barkley showed some regression in 2025; however, with injuries ravaging through the offensive line, a bounce-back season is hopeful for the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year.
The Eagles will also have to wonder whether Jalen Hurts maximized his output or whether the hiring of Sean Mannion will spark a predictable Eagles offense. The league seemed to have figured out Kevin Patullo's scheme, and with his exodus, the pressure to succeed falls solely on Hurts moving forward.
Overall, the Eagles have followed a trend over the last five seasons. It has been Super Bowl or bust for the team in the Sirianni era, with three Wild Card losses and two Super Bowl appearances alternating every year since 2021. While it'd be ignorant to believe that, given the Eagles' chance to go to the Super Bowl, stranger things have happened.
Read more: Nick Sirianni slapped with ultimate disrespectful ranking of best hires since 2021
However, it's not unreasonable to believe that the Eagles have one of the deepest rosters in the NFL, with plenty of experience. That, coupled with a front office that has proven to be one of the best in the NFL, always gives Philadelphia a fighting chance to make an impact in 2026.