After Knicks' long-awaited title, ranking NFL teams most likely to end their Super Bowl droughts in 2026
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- The New York Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought by winning the 2026 NBA title, the latest in a string of major-market title droughts broken after Cleveland's Cavaliers won in 2016.
- The Chicago Bears (last title 1985) rank 3rd in drought-ending odds after posting their first playoff win since 2010 in 2025, with questions centered on whether Caleb Williams can build on his impressive 2025 season.
- The Detroit Lions (last title 1957) rank 4th despite losing the 2023 NFC Championship to the 49ers and falling to Washington in the 2024 divisional round, and still trail Seattle and Los Angeles in the NFC hierarchy.
- The Los Angeles Chargers (last title 1963) rank 5th and hired former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator to unlock Justin Herbert, who is still seeking his first playoff win under Jim Harbaugh.
- The Minnesota Vikings (last title 1969) rank 9th and could contend in 2026 if they settle the quarterback competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy, bolstered by a 7th-ranked 2025 scoring defense and a receiving trio of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings.
- The Arizona Cardinals (last title 1947) rank last at 17th, hampered by a defense that allowed the 29th-most points in 2025 and an unresolved quarterback situation with Jacoby Brissett skipping spring practices amid a contract dispute.
- The Washington Commanders (last title 1991) rank 6th, with their Super Bowl hopes hinging on Jayden Daniels' health and rookie Antonio Williams developing into a viable complement to Terry McLaurin.
Why it matters: With 11 of 32 NFL teams carrying championship droughts of 30-plus years and six more still seeking a first title, the 2026 season is being framed as a realistic breakthrough window for franchises like the Bears, Chargers, and Lions, each of which has invested heavily in young quarterbacks (Williams, Herbert) or recent defensive upgrades after near-misses in the 2023 and 2024 postseasons.
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