Rich’s Top Storylines for Each AFC Team Heading into the 2026 NFL Season

Every year on the day the NFL season starts for real, Rich runs down a storyline for all 32 teams, off the top of his head. This is the show's 13th season covering the league and Rich's 24th with NFL Network, and the tradition started with the American Football Conference.

**AFC East**

The defending AFC champion Patriots have year two of Mike Vrabel and a Drake Maye who was almost the MVP, now with AJ Brown as a new weapon. They paid Christian Gonzalez to keep a top five defense together. Can they protect Maye? Can Will Campbell turn the page on last year in his second season? And will everything off the field with Vrabel come home to roost if things don't go well?

Buffalo has high expectations again, because, as Rich put it, "it's Josh Allen's world and we're all paying rent within it." James Cook is coming off a rushing title. Sean McDermott is out and Joe Brady, who was in Allen's headset, is in. The defense looks good, and there is a new stadium. Rich's question: "Is this the year that the mafia can finally die happy?"

The Jets have year two of Aaron Glenn and Geno Smith at quarterback, which was not the plan when they drafted Zach Wilson, then turned to Aaron Rodgers, then thought Justin Fields could be the guy. Frank Reich is coordinating the offense, and Glenn is back running the defense as well as the team. Rich's challenge for the defense was pointed: "Can they come up with just one interception this year?"

Miami has Jeff Hafley in year one and Malik Willis with "the opportunity of his lifetime." Jaylen Waddle is gone. Rich called them a big shrug emoji team, with De'Von Achane as one of the best in the business.

**AFC North**

In Cleveland, it's Deshaun Watson again, with Shedeur Sanders waiting and Todd Monken in year one. The Browns traded away Myles Garrett, and if Monken or the quarterback isn't the answer, Cleveland has the draft capital next year to go looking for one.

Baltimore has a new head coach after 16 years of John Harbaugh. Rich wants to see whether Jesse Minter can do for Kyle Hamilton and Roquan Smith what he did for Derwin James in Los Angeles. Lamar Jackson has a new offensive coordinator in Declan Doyle, Zay Flowers has a new contract, and Derrick Henry turns 33 in week 18, against Pittsburgh.

The Steelers have Mike McCarthy replacing Mike Tomlin, with Aaron Rodgers reunited with McCarthy. Rich called it mindblowing, because McCarthy and Rodgers beat Tomlin's Steelers in the Super Bowl in Dallas, where McCarthy later coached between Green Bay and Pittsburgh. "What the hell's going on?" Michael Pittman is new, and McCarthy will call plays.

That makes Zac Taylor, in year eight, the dean of the division's coaches. Joe Burrow still has Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, plus Chase Brown. The Bengals sent the 10th pick to the Giants for Dexter Lawrence and added Boye Mafe. If Burrow stays upright, "big if," can Cincinnati finally win games by a normal score?

**AFC South**

Jacksonville is coming off a massively successful first year under Liam Coen, but Travis Etienne is gone. Is Travis Hunter still a two-way player? Can Brian Thomas Jr. bounce back from "a little bit of a milk carton" second season? The defense punked a ton of teams in the second half last year. Can Duval County get to the Super Bowl for the first time?

Houston one-and-done'd Aaron Rodgers and sent Mike Tomlin to NBC, and has as scary a defense as anyone. Will Anderson got paid, but the quarterback hasn't, and Rich wonders if that is the problem. C.J. Stroud keeps getting to the divisional round and hitting his head. David Montgomery joins Woody Marks in the backfield, with Nico Collins leading the receivers.

The Titans, Rich noted, have "the baldest staff in the league." Robert Saleh brought in Brian Daboll, uniting former Jets and Giants head coaches "like the Wonder Twins." They added Carnell Tate for Cam Ward in the top five, alongside Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard and Jeffery Simmons.

Indianapolis has Shane Steichen starting Daniel Jones again if he comes back healthy from his Achilles. Jonathan Taylor is "as good as it gets," Alec Pierce just got paid, and Tyler Warren could have a big second year. Rich wondered whether Steichen needs a playoff trip to keep his job.

**AFC West**

The Raiders start with Fernando Mendoza. "What's not to like? And that is a rhetorical question." The question is when Mendoza Mania hits. Does Kirk Cousins keep him on the bench under new head coach Klint Kubiak, or does Kubiak pull what Tom Coughlin did to the show's second-hour guest, Kurt Warner, and start the kid anyway? Maxx Crosby, Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty round it out.

Across town, Jim Harbaugh added Mike McDaniel, "the Felix and Oscar of coaching." Rich expects McDaniel to change the running game significantly, and Justin Herbert should benefit from a healthy Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, with Omarion Hampton back fully. Everybody is looking at the Rams in SoFi, Rich reminded everyone, but the Chargers play there too. Can Herbert finally win a playoff game?

Denver has Sean Payton in year four, which is when he won a Super Bowl in New Orleans. Bo Nix is back healthy, Jaylen Waddle has arrived, and the defense had 68 sacks. Rich put the Broncos among the AFC's Super Bowl favorites.

And then Kansas City, because Patrick Mahomes is coming back. "I have no idea what he's going to look like, but that's still Patrick Freaking Mahomes." Travis Kelce and Chris Jones are still there, and now Kenneth Walker, the Super Bowl LX MVP, gives the Chiefs a back who could be their first 1,000-yard rusher since Kareem Hunt's rookie season.

The AFC Championship game used to be Mahomes' floor. "Last year the floor fell out. So did his knee." And Andy Reid enters year 14 in Kansas City, now as long as he was in Philadelphia.