The AFC could look very different in the 2026 NFL season. Patrick Mahomes is working back from a torn ACL that ended Kansas City’s playoff streak dating to 2014, and his Week 1 status remains uncertain. Three of the conference’s marquee franchises enter the year with new head coaches, as Baltimore moved on from John Harbaugh after 18 seasons, Buffalo parted with Sean McDermott, and the Steelers replaced Mike Tomlin.
Add in the reigning AFC champion Patriots retooling around Drake Maye, and a wave of young quarterbacks across the rest of the conference, and the established order feels shakier than it has in years. Here is how all 16 AFC teams stack up before training camps open in July.
MORE: Ranking all 16 NFC teams heading into 2026 NFL season
16. Cleveland Browns
Trading Myles Garrett to the Rams netted a 2027 first-rounder, a clear nod toward next year’s loaded quarterback class. For now, it’s a muddled room, with Deshaun Watson holding the inside track over Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
15. Las Vegas Raiders
NFL: May 2, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) speaks during a news conference. At the team’s Rookie Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images
Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza is the future after going No. 1 overall, though Kirk Cousins is expected to start while the rookie sits. Maxx Crosby anchors the defense, but this is a full reset with a long runway.
14. New York Jets
Geno Smith returns to the franchise that drafted him in 2013, now tasked with fixing the league’s worst passing attack. A draft headlined by edge rusher David Bailey helps, but a defense that generated almost no pressure last year remains the problem.
13. Tennessee Titans
Everything hinges on second-year quarterback Cam Ward, surrounded now by No. 4 pick Carnell Tate and free agent splash Wan’Dale Robinson. Ward has reportedly struggled at OTAs, and even with improvement, this roster may still be the division’s worst.
12. Miami Dolphins
A new era under coach Jeff Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan began by eating an NFL-record $99.2 million in dead money to move on from Tua Tagovailoa. The quarterback picture is murky, and a roster that won seven games last year is clearly mid-rebuild rather than ready to contend.
11. Jacksonville Jaguars
NFL: Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) greets Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17. After the game of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Coming off a 13-4 AFC South title, Trevor Lawrence is finally healthy and finished fifth in MVP voting, playing his best football down the stretch. Two-way standout Travis Hunter and deep threat Brian Thomas Jr. give Liam Coen real firepower in year two of the system, though the wild-card flameout against Buffalo stings.
10. Indianapolis Colts
Daniel Jones tore his Achilles in December, cutting short the best season of his career, but his recovery is ahead of schedule, and a Week 1 return looks likely. The playoff drought dates back to 2020, and another miss will probably cost Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen their jobs.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike McCarthy takes over for Mike Tomlin, and that reunion convinced Aaron Rodgers to return for a one-year retirement tour at age 42. Trades for Michael Pittman and a second-round pick on Germie Bernard upgraded the receiving room, but a brutal late-season slate could wear down the league’s oldest quarterback.
8. Houston Texans
Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud after the game against the New England Patriots in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
C.J. Stroud has reached the divisional round in all three of his seasons but is still without an extension after a seven-turnover meltdown in the playoff loss to the eventual champion Patriots. DeMeco Ryans has built a defense good enough to win it all; the retooled offense, with the David Montgomery trade and new line pieces, is now the question.
7. Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow’s turf toe injury sank 2025, with Cincinnati going 1-8 in his absence before he returned. He is healthy now and still flanked by Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but Trey Hendrickson bolted to the rival Ravens, leaving a historically bad defense in Al Golden’s hands to fix.
6. Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh’s defense has carried the team, and an 11-win 2025 ended with a wild-card loss to the Patriots after injuries piled up. Former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel now runs the offense. Tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are back healthy, and protecting Justin Herbert, sacked 54 times last year, is the priority.
5. Denver Broncos
A 14-3 finish ended in heartbreak when Bo Nix fractured his ankle in the divisional round, and the offense managed just seven points in a 10-7 AFC title game loss. Nix is recovering from two ankle surgeries but trending toward a full return, and the addition of Jaylen Waddle gives one of the league’s best defenses real scoring punch.
4. New England Patriots
A Super Bowl run ended in a 29-13 loss to Seattle, and Mike Vrabel went out and got Drake Maye the No. 1 receiver his offense lacked, trading for A.J. Brown on June 1. The young quarterback already finished as a top jersey seller and looks ready to take another leap in Josh McDaniels’ system. The pieces are in place for a return trip to the title game.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) talks with head coach Andy Reid after a play against the Chicago Bears. During the first half of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL in Week 15, ending the dynasty’s playoff streak dating to 2014, and then signed a record extension worth $504.75 million. Andy Reid says the recovery is on track for training camp, and insurance arrived for Justin Fields and running back Kenneth Walker.
2. Baltimore Ravens
An 8-9 collapse cost John Harbaugh his job after 18 years, with Jesse Minter taking over and Declan Doyle installing a new offense around Lamar Jackson, who missed four games in a down year. The defense got a major boost by signing Trey Hendrickson away from the rival Bengals. A healthy two-time MVP makes them the AFC North favorite again.
1. Buffalo Bills
Buffalo fired Sean McDermott after another divisional-round heartbreak, an overtime loss to Denver, and promoted Joe Brady to give Josh Allen a coach he already trusts. DJ Moore arrived from Chicago to headline a retooled receiver room, and Bradley Chubb joined a pass rush that needed help. The window with the reigning MVP is wide open, and the pressure to finally break through has never been higher.
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