What NFL Teams Are Going to the Super Bowl?

The NFL season is heating up and we’re getting closer and closer to the biggest game of the year – the Super Bowl! So, which teams are looking like they might be headed to the big game? Let’s take a look at the current frontrunners.

AFC Teams

There are four teams in the AFC division that have a chance to go to the Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Los Angeles Chargers all have a shot at winning the conference and heading to the big game. Let’s take a look at each team’s chances.

New England Patriots

Led by star quarterback Tom Brady, the New England Patriots are one of the most successful teams in NFL history. With a record of 9-5, they have clinched the AFC East title and are headed to the playoffs. The Patriots have a strong defense, led by linebacker Dont’a Hightower, and a potent offense that features tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its home games at Heinz Field on Pittsburgh’s North Side in the North Shore neighborhood, which also hosts the University of Pittsburgh Panthers. The Steelers have won more Super Bowl titles than any other franchise.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional football franchise based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team plays its home games at EverBank Field.

The Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers joined the NFL as expansion teams for the 1995 season. Since their inception, the Jaguars have won six division championships (1998, 1999, 2000, 2017, 2018, 2019), qualified for five AFC Championship Games (1996, 1999, 2017, 2018), and appeared in two Super Bowls (XLII and XLIV). As of 2019 they have an all-time win–loss record of 156–227–1 (.406).

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team was founded in 1960 as the Dallas Texans by businessman Lamar Hunt and was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL). In 1963, the team moved to Kansas City and assumed their current name. The Chiefs joined the NFL as a result of the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. The team is valued at over $2 billion. Hunt’s son, Clark, serves as chairman and CEO. While Mike McCarthy currently serves as head coach, the Chiefs have had thirteen head coaches in their franchise history; Todd Haley, Gunther Cunningham, Romeo Crennel, Herman Edwards, Dick Vermeil, Marty Schottenheimer, Terry Bradshaw, Marv Levy, Dick Curl, John Mackovic, Frank Gansz Jr., Lane Kiffin and Herm Edwards have all had stints with the franchise.

NFC Teams

The National Football Conference (NFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest professional level of American football in the world.The NFC was created on June 4, 1970, following the merger of the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League.

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams franchise was founded in 1936 as the Cleveland Rams in the short-lived second American Football League (AFL) before joining the NFL the next year. In 1946, the franchise moved to Los Angeles.[9] The Rams franchise remained in the metro area until 1994, when they moved to St. Louis, and were known as the St. Louis Rams from 1995 to 2015. The Rams franchise returned to Los Angeles in 2016.

The name of the team was changed three times between 1936 and 1945, following moves to Dallas (1937) and then Cleveland (1941). The team played their home games at Memorial Coliseum during their first four years back in Los Angeles,[10] then moved to Anaheim Stadium, where they remained until 1980.[11] For 28 of those years, including their 21-year stint back in Los Angeles, the team was known as the Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams appeared in Super Bowl XIV following the 1979 season. This marked their second appearance in a Super Bowl and first since moving back to Los Angeles. However, they were defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers 31–19.[12]

New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints currently compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The team was founded by John W. Mecom Jr., David Dixon, and the city of New Orleans on November 1, 1966. The Saints began play in Tulane Stadium in 1967.

The name “Saints” is an allusion to November 1 being All Saints Day in the Catholic faith, as it was founded on that date. New Orleans has a large Catholic population, as well as a significant number of African Americans who adopted the saints name while attending Catholic high schools. Over time, the franchise has shown reverence for Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, and The Immaculate Conception Mother Mary Statue located outside of nearby St. Louis Cathedral has become an unofficial team mascot.

The team’s primary colors are old gold and black; their logo is a simplified fleur-de-lis. They played their home games in Tulane Stadium through the 1974 NFL season.[9] The following year, they began a 32-year spell at the Superdome (now Mercedes-Benz Superdome). The Saints have only had 14 winning seasons (out of 52) in their history,[10] but have finished first in their division 10 times and have qualified for the playoffs 20 times since 1967, including seven appearances in NFC Championship Games and four Super Bowl appearances--winning Super Bowl XLIV in 2010.[11][12]

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League (NFL) as an expansion team in 1960, and first took the field for the 1961 season. The team competes in the National Football Conference (NFC) North division.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football franchise based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) East division. They are Super Bowl LII champions, having defeated the New England Patriots 41–33 in Super Bowl LII.

Founded in 1933, the Eagles have won three NFL championships, including Super Bowls XV and XXXIX. The franchise has also appeared in more conference championship games (15) than any other team in NFL history and have earned 30 playoff appearances, which is second most behind only the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Eagles have been one of the most successful NFL teams of the 21st century, winning more games than any other team since 2000 and making nine consecutive playoff appearances from 2001 to 2009—a franchise record they tied with an appearance in 2018.