Before the 2026 NFL season began, Kay Adams offered a Super Bowl prediction that divided fans. The “Up & Adams” host picked the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears to meet at SoFi Stadium in Super Bowl LXI. Denver entered the conversation after a 14–3 regular season and a run to the AFC Championship Game, where the Broncos lost 10–7 to New England.
Chicago entered 2026 with momentum after winning the NFC North under Ben Johnson. The Bears then opened the new season with a 59–37 victory over Carolina, while Denver began with a 31–10 loss to Kansas City. Much of the online criticism of Adams’ prediction focused on whether Chicago can emerge from a competitive NFC, making her confidence in Caleb Williams a major part of the debate.
Adams is backing Chicago’s second-year leap
Adams explained her Bears pick by pointing to what Chicago accomplished in 2025 and what Williams could become after another offseason. The Bears went 11-6, won the NFC North and beat Green Bay in the wild-card round before losing 20-17 in overtime to the Rams in the divisional round.
Williams threw for 3,942 yards and produced 30 total touchdowns during that breakthrough season. Adams has argued that the 2025 campaign was only an early stage for the quarterback, describing 2026 as the “main course” rather than the “appetizer” while projecting him into the MVP conversation.
That belief is central to her Super Bowl call because Chicago’s path depends heavily on Williams taking another significant step. The Bears showed enough offensive growth to win a division, but their defense ranked 29th in yards allowed last season, leaving a major question around whether the roster can support a championship run.
Denver has a stronger recent playoff case
The Broncos are easier for many fans to understand as a Super Bowl pick because their 2025 season already established them as an AFC heavyweight. Denver finished 14-3, won the AFC West and earned the conference’s No. 1 seed before beating Buffalo 33-30 in overtime to reach the AFC Championship Game.
Bo Nix’s ankle injury in that Buffalo victory became one of the defining moments of Denver’s season. Nix threw three touchdown passes in the win, but the injury ended his season and left the Broncos without their starting quarterback for the conference championship.
Adams’ Denver selection therefore represents a belief that the Broncos can convert last season’s near miss into a championship appearance. The argument is supported by a 14-win regular season, a No. 1 seed, and a playoff victory over Josh Allen, giving Denver a stronger recent postseason résumé than Chicago.
Why the Bears drew the strongest backlash
The reaction to Adams’ prediction focused less on Denver and more on Chicago’s place among the NFC contenders. Several fans who responded online described the Bears as overhyped, while others said Denver was understandable, but Chicago was the part of the matchup to accept.
One fan called the Bears “the most overhyped team in NFL history,” while another said, “The Broncos I understand, but the Bears??” Other responses pointed toward Seattle as the NFC team they expected to make another deep run after the Seahawks won Super Bowl LX.
The criticism also reflects the difficulty of repeating a breakthrough season. Chicago improved from 5-12 in 2024 to 11-6 in 2025, but its defense remained a weakness and its postseason ended against the Rams, while Adams herself acknowledged questions about how the Bears would stop opponents.
Fun fact: Super Bowl LXI will be the first Super Bowl broadcast by ESPN, with ABC carrying a simulcast, adding a new chapter to the 2027 championship game.
Chicago’s case goes beyond last season’s record
The strongest argument for Adams’ pick is the possibility that Williams can turn a promising second season into an elite quarterback campaign. He already broke Chicago’s single-season passing record in 2025, and another offseason in Ben Johnson’s system gives the offense a chance to become more consistent.
Johnson’s arrival was a major part of Chicago’s turnaround, and his first season produced an NFC North title. The Bears also won a playoff game against Green Bay, giving the young core important postseason experience before the Rams eliminated them in overtime.
The concern is that an improved offense alone may not be enough. Chicago’s defense was a clear weakness in 2025, and the secondary has carried injury questions into the new season, increasing the pressure on a young defensive group to improve quickly.
The NFC makes the prediction especially difficult
Chicago’s road is complicated by the presence of several established NFC contenders. The Rams are particularly relevant after defeating the Bears in the divisional round, while Seattle enters the season as the defending Super Bowl champion following its victory over New England in Super Bowl LX.
The 2026 season opened with Seattle and New England meeting again in a Super Bowl rematch. Seattle’s title defense immediately puts the Seahawks among the teams Chicago must eventually navigate if Adams’ NFC pick is to become reality.
Los Angeles adds another layer because Super Bowl LXI will be played at SoFi Stadium, the home of the Rams and Chargers. The Rams already have recent championship experience there, making them an obvious part of the early NFC conversation.
TL;DR
- Kay Adams picked the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears to meet in Super Bowl LXI.
- Denver went 14–3 in 2025 and reached the AFC Championship Game after beating Buffalo 33–30 in overtime, but Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury in that divisional-round victory.
- Chicago went 11–6, won the NFC North, and reached the divisional round during the 2025 season.
- Much of the quoted online criticism focused on Chicago’s Super Bowl chances rather than Denver’s.
- Chicago opened the 2026 season with a 59–37 win over Carolina, while Denver began with a 31–10 loss to Kansas City.
- The Bears’ defense remains a major question surrounding Adams’ prediction.
- Super Bowl LXI is scheduled for Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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