Barnwell tips Chiefs to win Super Bowl LXI as 14-team NFL field takes shape

ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell has projected the 2026 NFL playoff field before the season’s opening game, selecting eight division winners and six wild-card teams for the expected 14-team bracket.

Barnwell’s projected division champions are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans.

He has selected the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers for the wild-card places.

The forecast is built around an expectation that eight teams from the previous postseason will return, with six newcomers completing the field. Barnwell cited historical playoff turnover as the basis for that balance, while noting that the 2026 season may not follow an average pattern.

For the Super Bowl, Barnwell predicts a rematch between the Chiefs and Eagles in Super Bowl LXI, with Kansas City securing the title. The projection remains a pre-season forecast, rather than a confirmed result.