Mark “Magic Mark” WillardAug 31, 2026
Willard predicts zero repeat division champions in 2026, naming a new winner in all eight divisions (with the AFC West left as either the Chargers or Chiefs, but not the Broncos). They also pick the Lions to go worst-to-first in the NFC North, gives the Saints a chance to win the NFC South, and calls the Bills the class of the AFC East while predicting Patriots regression.
Said on air or in an interview · Fox Sports Radio (podcast)Hear the original
What Mark “Magic Mark” Willard said
I'm going to predict that there are, this year, zero... Repeat division champs.
- Where it was said
- Fox Sports Radio (podcast)
- The episode
- Mark Willard and Ephraim Salaam: Aaron Donald Returns, Fantasy Football Picks & NFL Predictions
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division Winners | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| Depth Chart Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Surprise Team Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| All | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
How each call scored
10 checkable claims — 8 division winners, 1 depth chart call and 1 surprise team call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
Michael Penix Jr. · 2026 season12 calls from 11 pundits between 1 and 1. Mark “Magic Mark” Willard said 1. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Division Winners8 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Houston Texans to win the division
“Last year, the Jags won the South. I'll take the Texans.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“Last year, the Patriots won the East. I'll take the bills.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Los Angeles Rams to win the division
“And last year, the West went to the Seahawks. I'll take the Rams.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“To me, the Buffalo Bills are easily the class of the AFC East.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Baltimore Ravens to win the division
“Last year, the Steelers won the North. I'll take the Ravens.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Detroit Lions to win the division
“The North went to the Bears. Give me the Lions this year.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Dallas Cowboys to win the division
“The East in the NFC went to the Eagles. I'll take the Cowboys.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
New Orleans Saints to win the division
“The South went to the Panthers. I don't even know why that division still exists, but I'll take the Saints.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Depth Chart Calls1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Michael Penix Jr. to be 1st on the depth chart
“So, I mean, Michael Penix is still on the team.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Surprise Team Calls1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Detroit Lions to beat expectations
“I think that they are going to win that division. I think that they are going to go, quote-unquote, worst to first.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be taken No. 1 overall by the Raiders and to be thrown into the starting lineup immediately, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta within weeks.Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be the No. 1 overall pick and land with the Raiders, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta.JP Acosta · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Acosta expects John Harbaugh's Giants to jump to roughly seven wins in year one, and forecast several offseason moves: Aaron Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh, Daniel Jones returning to the Colts, Kirk Cousins being released by Atlanta, and Brandon Aiyuk leaving San Francisco.Gregg Rosenthal · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Rosenthal gave their award ballot: Drake May atop their MVP list (though they expect Matthew Stafford to actually win), Myles Garrett for Defensive Player of the Year, Bijan Robinson for Offensive Player of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Carson Schwesinger for Defensive Rookie of the Year, Mike Macdonald for Coach of the Year and Broncos O-line coach Zach Strief for Assistant Coach of the Year. They also expect Kirk Cousins to be cut by Atlanta.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Prisco picked the Bills to win 21-14 at Minnesota.John Breech · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Breech picked the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night by a score of 24-17.
More division winners
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Colin Cowherd · Division Winners · New York Giants · Miss 0
Cowherd projects the NFC East with the Giants winning the division ahead of Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, pegging the Cowboys as a six- or seven-win team. They also expect Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and they float the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one.Colin Cowherd · Division Winners · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 0
Cowherd unveiled their top 10 NFL teams entering next season, with Seattle first, the Rams second and the Chiefs tenth, and separately picked the Chargers to win the AFC West.Rich Eisen · Division Winners · Jacksonville Jaguars · Hit 100
Eisen forecast the Week 18 results and the entire wild-card field: Buccaneers over Panthers but Carolina still gets in as the 5 seed when Atlanta beats New Orleans, 49ers over Seahawks, Ravens over Steelers, Jaguars beating Tennessee to win the AFC South, and six wild-card matchups (Seahawks-Panthers, Bills-Jaguars, Texans-Ravens, Packers-Bears, Chargers-Patriots, Rams-Eagles), with Houston upsetting Baltimore. They also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.Rich Eisen · Division Winners · Jacksonville Jaguars · Hit 100
Eisen called the 49ers-as-NFC-favorites take an overreaction, picked the Jaguars to beat the Titans and win their division, leaned Ravens over the Steelers in the Week 18 Sunday night game, expects the Bills to beat the Jets even without Josh Allen, sees the Chargers as the AFC's seventh seed, agreed Tyler Shough could win Offensive Rookie of the Year with a good Saints 2026, said Malik Willis will be a starter somewhere next season, and insisted Detroit goes into 2026 with Goff.Chris Brockman · Division Winners · Chicago Bears · Hit 100
Brockman called the Broncos-Packers game the best of the day, said Denver looks poised to lock up the AFC's No. 1 seed and reach the AFC Championship Game, predicted the Bears win the NFC North and the Eagles win their division (though they think they lose to a five seed from the NFC West), and said Philip Rivers will be in the NFL in 2026.Rich Eisen · Division Winners · New England Patriots · Hit 100
Eisen said the Patriots are still likely to win the AFC East and won't be one-and-done, that the Chargers will end Dallas' season next week, that TreVeyon Henderson should out-snap Rhamondre Stevenson, that the NFC East race is over in Philadelphia's favor, and that the winner of the NFC West will be the NFC's No. 1 seed.