Chris Brockman#36 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 7, 2026
Brockman's season-preview overreactions: Fernando Mendoza becomes an Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist; Dak Prescott wins MVP and the Cowboys win the Super Bowl; Jesse Minter's Ravens win the AFC North; C.J. Stroud leads Houston to the AFC's No. 1 seed; Jonathan Taylor approaches 2,000 rushing yards; Baker Mayfield wins the NFC South, goes 12-5 and reaches the NFC title game while landing a $60 million-per-year deal; and Aaron Rodgers throws 35-plus touchdowns as the Steelers go 11-6 and win the North.
Said on air, transcribed by us · Overreaction Monday (podcast)Hear the original
What Chris Brockman said
Fernando Mendoza is gonna play. He's gonna lead the Raiders in passing, and he's gonna be an offensive rookie of the year finalist.
- Where it was said
- Overreaction Monday (podcast)
- The episode
- 2026 NFL Season Preview
- 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 | 3 | |
| Contract Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Season Win Totals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Seeding, Byes and Home Field | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Super Bowl Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Player Season Numbers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Award Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| Playoff Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| All | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
How each call scored
14 checkable claims — 3 award picks, 3 division winners, 2 player season numbers, 2 season win totals, 1 contract call, 1 playoff pick, 1 seeding, byes and home field and 1 super bowl pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 12 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the rest of the room on every one.
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
Pittsburgh Steelers · 2026 season · wins7 calls from 6 pundits between 9 wins and 12 wins. Chris Brockman said 11 wins. the room's median is 9 wins. 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 Winners3 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Baltimore Ravens to win the division
“And so the fact that Minter can come in and start winning football games and a division Right away. Immediately. And and and take them to at least the second round of the playoffs.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Pittsburgh Steelers to win the division
“Steelers eleven and six win the North home game.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division
“Once Baker wins the NFC south this year”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Contract Calls1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Baker Mayfield to sign for $54M–$66M a year with Tampa Bay Buccaneers
“Baker Mayfield's gonna be a $60,000,000 a year quarter.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Season Win Totals2 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Pittsburgh Steelers to finish with 11 wins
“Steelers eleven and six win the North home game.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- —Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Seeding, Byes and Home Field1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Houston Texans to take the top seed
“The Texans are gonna regret not giving CJ Stroud an extension before he leads Houston to the AFC one seed this year.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Super Bowl Picks1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Dallas Cowboys to win the Super Bowl
“Dak is gonna put up numbers these guys could only dream of... Numbers, then he's gonna win the big one.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Player Season Numbers2 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Jonathan Taylor to record 2,000 rushing yards
“I think Jonathan Taylor could is gonna do it. That's a different story. I think he's gonna get to that.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Aaron Rodgers to record 35 passing tds
“Having the time of his life. Throwing touchdowns. 35 plus touchdowns.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Award Picks3 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Baker Mayfield to win MVP finalist
“Baker MVP finalist that doesn't get 60?”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Fernando Mendoza to win Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist
“But Fernando Mendoza is gonna play. He's gonna lead the Raiders in passing, and he's gonna be an offensive rookie of the year finalist.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Dak Prescott to win MVP
“I think Dax is gonna be a regular season MVP this year.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Playoff Picks1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
- —Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Bryan DeArdo · Trade and Signing Calls · Joey Porter Jr. · Miss 0
The piece predicts Joey Porter Jr. most likely stays with the Steelers through 2026, while listing possible trade destinations if they were moved.Brandon Carney · Trade and Signing Calls · Mike Evans · Miss 0
Carney predicts Geno Smith signs with the Vikings and starts for them, that at least four of the fringe veteran quarterbacks (Tua, Kyler, Cousins, Fields, Geno) will be starters next season, and that Mike Evans stays with Tampa Bay. They also rank their top fantasy wide receivers and comments on running back landing spots and trade values.Bobby Skinner · Trade and Signing Calls · Stefon Diggs · Miss 0
Skinner predicted Daniel Jones signs with and wins the starting job in Indianapolis, Milton Williams to New England, Lavonte David back to Tampa, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to the Giants, DJ Reid to Arizona, Hassan Reddick to Washington and Justin Fields staying in Pittsburgh, plus alternates they had listed.Dalton Feely · Trade and Signing Calls · Chris Godwin Jr. · Hit 100
Feenie predicted Chris Godwin stays in Tampa Bay, Josh Sweat reunites with Jonathan Gannon in Arizona, Ronnie Stanley signs with New England, Jevon Holland lands in Indianapolis, Khalil Mack joins Washington, Asante Samuel Jr. goes to San Francisco, Najee Harris to the Raiders and Bobby Wagner to Dallas.Rich Eisen · Trade and Signing Calls · Micah Parsons · Miss 0
Eisen expects Myles Garrett to be traded before the draft and says the Browns will then take Abdul Carter with their early first-round pick; they also predict Buffalo will end up paying James Cook and that Micah Parsons will remain a Cowboy and get their money from Dallas, likely late in the process.
More division winners
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Daniel DiBerardinis · Division Winners · Atlanta Falcons · Miss 0
Danny D predicts Sonny Styles goes in the top ten (maybe top five), doesn't think Ty Simpson goes before late first round, says Kenyon Sadiq lands with the Rams at 13, and picks the Falcons to win the NFC South while naming the Bengals an AFC bounce-back team. They also give a Final Four of Michigan, Florida, Purdue and Arizona with Michigan winning.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.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.