Five quirky Super Bowl LXI matchups that we all want to see
By Andy Davies
It feels like only yesterday when the Seattle Seahawks were crowned world champions after beating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX.
However, this was just under seven months ago. The offseason has a habit to go by quickly. Before we know it, two teams will be crowned Conference Champions.
Whilst the Los Angeles Rams are most people’s favourites to win the NFC and subsequently the Super Bowl this season, there are some other really strong candidates.
Everyone is predicting matchups such as the Rams vs Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens or Buffalo Bills. These are the serious predictions.
With Super Bowl 61 set to take place on Valentine’s Day this season, here are five quirky matchups that most NFL fans would love to see.
Los Angeles Chargers vs Los Angeles Rams
This is the one Super Bowl matchup that is feasible.
The aforementioned strength of the Los Angeles Rams, who have traded for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie this offseason. This is in addition to the return of Aaron Donald out of retirement. For a team that made the NFC Championship last season whilst boasting the MVP winner Matthew Stafford under centre, they are quite rightly being seen as the overwhelming favourites.
On the other hand, the AFC is a much wider open conference. One of the dark horses to win it are the Los Angeles Chargers, whose stock as underdog has increased following the season ending injury to Tyler Biadasz, making this matchup unlikely.
There is the obvious, the talent that fans would get to see in the Super Bowl. Whether it is quarterbacks Stafford and Justin Herbert, wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Puka Nacua, head coaches Sean McVay and Jim Harbaugh or Derwin James Jr and Garrett on defense, this would be a game full of stars.
What makes this matchup at its most unique, is where Super Bowl LXI is being played.
SoFI Stadium in Los Angeles will host the 61st version of the game. This would mean that for the first time in history, both teams involved would be playing a Super Bowl in their own stadium.
It would be the battle of LA, between both teams from the city. This would be truly a one-of-a-kind Super Bowl that we may not ever see again.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs Green Bay Packers
For two historic NFL teams, this would be a repeat of Super Bowl XLV, where the Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XLV at Dallas’ AT&T Stadium.
Quarterback that day for the Packers and Super Bowl MVP was Aaron Rodgers. His head coach was Mike McCarthy. Fast forward to 2026 and they are both now employed by the Steelers.
This would make a Packers vs Steelers Super Bowl LXI matchup even more enticing.
Given the flaws in both teams, it feels highly unlikely that either team will make the game at SoFi. If they were, then the media coverage would be off the charts.
Rodgers passing on the baton to Jordan Love, just as Brett Favre did for him, this would give this game a Master vs Apprentice feel to the game, in a similar way to whenever Joe Montana and Steve Young faced off.
Miami Dolphins vs Atlanta Falcons
It is one thing when a team faces off against their former quarterback
It is another thing when the one team would be paying the other team to play a quarterback against them in a Super Bowl.
This would be what would happen if the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons faced off in February.
Tua Tagovailoa was drafted fifth overall by the Dolphins in 2020. His time in South Beach was marred with injuries and lack of consistency on the field.
After a very difficult 2025 season, Tua Tagovailoa was released by the Dolphins. This is just two years on from the former Alabama QB signing a four-year $212.4 million extension.
$99.2 million of dead cap money was forfeited by the Dolphins as a part of their rebuild, which saw Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Bradley Chubb also depart.
Tua has signed a one-year deal with the Falcons, being paid the league minimum by the team as a result of the Dolphins’ dead cap.
This game would also result in uncharted territory when it comes to media coverage. It is rare that you get a quarterback play against their old team in a Super Bowl. It is even rarer to have a quarterback essentially be paid by a team to play against and possibly beat them.
If the Falcons were to win, then there would be a massive amount of media coverage asking why the Dolphins got rid of Tua when he just beat them in a Super Bowl.
This makes such a matchup very intriguing, and one featuring two teams unfancied to make the playoffs or go deep. Miami would be searching for their first Super Bowl since the 1972 season. Meanwhile, the Falcons would be searching for their first in franchise history and the chance to avenge their 28-3 Super Bowl LI demons.
Baltimore Ravens vs New York Giants
This matchup would most likely be named the Harbaugh Bowl 2.0.
However, unlike the first instalment, this would not be one that features both Harbaugh brothers.
John Harbaugh was fired as Ravens head coach following the end of the 2025 season. His next job is with the New York Giants. If this was to be the Super Bowl LXI matchup, this would give him the chance to show his former employers what they could have had.
His replacement in Baltimore is Jesse Minter. He was previously the Chargers defensive coordinator alongside Jim Harbaugh.
There would be a Harbaugh heavy focus on this game, adding to the excitement for neutrals watching the game. With talent such as Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers against a Giants defense featuring Tremaine Edmunds, Brian Burns, Arvell Reese and Abdul Carter, how could this game not disappoint?
New York Jets vs Arizona Cardinals
Even though the likes of Garrett Wilson and Trey McBride would be playing in this game, this matchup would have nothing to do with talent on the field.
These are two teams no one fancies to even make the playoffs, let alone going any further.
Both teams have just one Super Bowl appearance to their name. The Jets’ only appearance, a game they won, came in the 1968 season. Arizona came close to also winning their one and only appearance in February 2009, undone by Santonio Holmes’ heroics.
Having two underdog stories would make this a Super Bowl to give hope to absolutely any franchise.
ANDY DAVIES
NFL ANALYST
A current Sports Journalism masters student, Andy has been writing NFL articles since January 2020. Originally from Wales, Andy also writes for pro football mania and dolphins talk, as well as appearing on podcasts and videos for euro tripz. find him on twitter @andydaviessport.