American football has regularly been cited as the fastest-growing sport in terms of fandom in the UK. The advent of the now-annual London games has helped with that, as has the wall-to-wall NFL coverage provided by broadcasters like Sky Sports and Channel 5. The number of NFL fans is now counted in the millions. It’s not just ready to usurp (association) football’s crown as the most popular sport just yet, but it can no longer be considered niche.
Right now, the NFL is preparing for the Playoffs, the conclusion of the season for the right to play at Super Bowl LX in California in February. But which teams are in with a shot? The short answer is several. Below, we highlight those considered contenders:
LA Rams
Arguably the standout team of the regular season and the current favorite in the odds for Super Bowl LX, the Rams have high hopes to win the big game under coach Sean McVay. While a lot of focus goes on quarterback Matthew Stafford, this is a superb all-around team that can adjust to be a defensive one or an attacking one like flipping a switch.
Seattle Seahawks
The closest team to the Rams in the betting odds and a divisional rival, the Seahawks are part of a new wave of teams that have rattled those we thought would be in contention before the season began. In September, a Super Bowl victory seemed unlikely, it seems very possible now.
New England Patriots
This season’s surprise package, which is saying something in a campaign that has been exemplified by surprises. The Patriots look reborn under new head coach Mike Vrabel. Their Super Bowl odds have been dropping all season, and now they look like true contenders.
Denver Broncos
After a decade of trying, the Broncos have finally unseated the Kansas City Chiefs as kings of the AFC West. For many pundits, they are the pick of the AFC and the biggest threat to the Rams and Seahawks’ designs on the Super Bowl. A lack of true Playoff experience over recent years may cost them, however.
San Francisco 49ers
On the comeback trail after a terrible 2024 campaign, the 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan have pulled themselves back to the elite level with key changes and tweaks to the roster and tactics. They are respected again.
Philadelphia Eagles
It’s been a strange season for the Eagles. They are the reigning Super Bowl champions and back in the Playoffs, but they have rarely been talked about as the top-tier contenders. That may play to their advantage in the coming weeks. However, they still need to do a bit to reach the heights of last season.
Buffalo Bills
It’s also been an up-and-down campaign for the Bills, who were heavily fancied to go all the way at the start of the season. Yet, they have a lot of experience in the Playoffs, as well as the league’s best quarterback in Josh Allen. Nobody will want to play them in the coming weeks.
