The Philadelphia Eagles are still in the top tier of NFC teams, according to NFL executives.
The Eagles were ranked No. 3 in the NFC, behind only the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, on a list compiled by The Athletic’s Mike Sando.
Philadelphia won the NFC East in 2025, going 11-6 before falling to the San Francisco 49ers 23-19 in the wild-card round. Still, the Eagles are the only team to repeat as division champs since they did so four straight years from 2000 to 2004.
The Eagles were immediately followed by the rival Dallas Cowboys on the list, which was compiled from the votes of six unidentified NFL executives.
Eagles Rank No. 3 on List of NFC Teams
Eagles fans are excited about Sean Mannion’s offense, but last year’s regression, plus the A.J. Brown fallout and the departure of Jeff Stoutland, have created some doubt in Philadelphia.
Still, with Saquon Barkley expected to bounce back and the Eagles’ defense still dominant under Vic Fangio, they earned their No. 3 ranking.
“They could go either way, to be quite honest,” one exec told Sando of the Eagles. “I think they will be better. The thing that was really good for them is a potential concern, and that is the receiver position and running back. Saquon did not have a great year. The offensive line health and age is a concern. They will still be formidable.”
Eagles football czar Howie Roseman still ruled the draft, selecting wide receiver Makai Lemon and tight end Eli Stowers, who is expected to replace Dallas Goedert. Plus, adding Riq Woolen and trading for Jonathan Greenard should make their defense even better.
“It was hard for me to ding Philly even if the offense is unknown, even if they are taking a step back without A.J. Brown,” another exec told Sando. “Vic Fangio and that defense is going to be top five. That O-line is going to be pretty good. It is still Saquon Barkley. Could they win 16-13 every week? Probably.”
The Eagles’ 2026 Success Will Be Measured in the Playoffs
The Eagles are almost certainly going to be a playoff team. Nick Sirianni has never missed the postseason in his five years as head coach, and he has taken the Eagles to the Super Bowl twice in the past four seasons, including their 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
So the regular season is just for seeding and to gear up for the playoffs, and Sirianni will ultimately be graded on what Philadelphia can do in January and/or February.
Sirianni has dominated Rams head coach Sean McVay — the Eagles coach is 4-0 against McVay, including the 28-22 divisional-round win in the 2024 playoffs — and boasts a 5-3 record against the Cowboys in their past eight meetings.
Those two teams, along with the reigning-champion Seahawks, are the ones he and the Eagles will need to beat to get to Super Bowl 61 in Inglewood, California, on Valentine’s Day.
But if they don’t, the Eagles may need to start having tough conversations about the future.
Eagles Earn High Praise in NFC Power Rankings From NFL Executives