The 2026 NFL season is just days away from kickoff. What better way to start the season than predicting who's going to be there at the end?
Last week, both CBS Sports and Fox Sports revealed their Super Bowl tiers of teams who could realistically be standing in Inglewood at the end of the 2026 season for Super Bowl LXI.
On CBS Sports' list, the Denver Broncos were listed in the 'A Tier' of teams, which writer Carter Bahns classified as teams who "got close in '25, could break through in '26."
"The Broncos have a healthy Bo Nix at quarterback," Bahns wrote for CBS. "If not for the broken ankle that cut his postseason short, he would have almost certainly led Denver past the Patriots in the AFC title game. His receiving unit got better this offseason,
too, with Jaylen Waddle arriving via trade. The defensive front should remain among the NFL's best."
Denver's tier included the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans, just behind the 'S Tier' (Super Bowl or bust) made up of the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.
Turning to Fox Sports' ranking, the Broncos were the fifth most-likely team to be Super Bowl contenders heading into 2026.
"Denver’s Super Bowl aspirations still hinge on quarterback Bo Nix," Steven Ruiz wrote for Fox. "A fractured ankle robbed him of a chance to prove he could lead the Broncos to a Super Bowl, but he’ll get another crack at it with another strong roster."
While acknowledging the departure of defensive stars John Franklin-Myers and P.J. Locke, Ruiz believes that strong play from the offense will make or break this team.
"The front office used the money saved from those departures to add some firepower to the passing game in the form of receiver Jaylen Waddle," Ruiz continued. "Everything is in place for a Super Bowl run … if the quarterback play is sufficient."
The 2026 season has been one of the most anticipated seasons in recent recollection in the Mile High region, and for good reason. The Broncos found their franchise quarterback, have a fantastic coaching staff and an involved front office. All they need to do now is put together complete football on both sides of the line of scrimmage and show they learned from 2025.
The climb to the top begins on Sept. 14 in a primetime matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Where do the Broncos rank among NFL’s Super Bowl contenders?
