Steve Hartman· Sep 12, 2026
Hartman picked the Rams and Bills to meet in the Super Bowl with the Rams winning, named the Bengals as his surprise team with Joe Burrow winning MVP and Cincinnati winning its division and reaching the AFC Championship Game against Buffalo.
“I think the Rams are going to win the Super Bowl.”
said on air or in an interview · Fox Sports Radio (podcast) · read the original →
7 checkable claims — 2 conference champions, 1 award pick, 1 division winner, 1 playoff pick, 1 super bowl pick and 1 surprise team call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Their call against the record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
7 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Super Bowl PicksLos Angeles RamsSep 12, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl
“I know I had the Bills and Rams... I think the Rams are going to win the Super Bowl.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Surprise Team CallsCincinnati BengalsSep 12, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to beat expectations
“I'll tell you the team that I think is going to be the surprise team. The team that I'm really in on this year are the Bengals.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersCincinnati BengalsSep 12, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to win the division
“if Joe Burrow is healthy, if he can stand upright throughout the season, I think the Bengals win that division”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Conference ChampionsLos Angeles RamsSep 12, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to reach the Super Bowl
“I know I had the Bills and Rams.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Conference ChampionsBuffalo BillsSep 12, 2026
Buffalo Bills to reach the Super Bowl
“I know I had the Bills and Rams... But I just cannot imagine Josh Allen never getting to a Super Bowl.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksJoe BurrowCincinnati BengalsSep 12, 2026
Joe Burrow to win MVP
“I think that Joe Burrow will be the league MVP.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksCincinnati BengalsSep 12, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs
“And I have them in the AFC championship game against the Bills.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Pat FitzmauriceTrade and Signing Calls · Trey HendricksonMiss · 0Fitzmorris made picks 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28 and 31 in the 2026 mock, ranked the top three receiver prospects Tate-Lemon-Tyson, said Caleb Downs won't fall to Day 2, and predicted Trey Hendrickson won't be back in Cincinnati.
- Nick ShookRoster Spot Calls · Aaron DonaldHit · 100Shook unveiled his first NFL power rankings of the year, putting the Rams first, the Broncos second and the defending champion Seahawks only third, with the Dolphins last.
- Danny ParkinsGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Parkins picked the Giants to upset Dallas, the Steelers to beat Atlanta by two scores, the Bears to beat Carolina, the Bills to beat Houston and Denver to beat Kansas City outright; he also said Justin Herbert will win an MVP and had the Bengals as AFC North champs.
- Eric ManginiGame Outcome Picks · Cincinnati BengalsHit · 100Mangini's upset alert was Washington over Philadelphia; in the chips segment he backed Houston, Dallas and Denver; and his Monday headline was Cincinnati mauling Tampa Bay, with Joe Burrow as his MVP and the Bengals as AFC North champs.
- AJ HawkGame Outcome Picks · Cincinnati BengalsHit · 100AJ Hawk picked the Ravens over the Colts, Carolina to beat Chicago outright, the Bills at Houston, the Bengals over Tampa Bay, the Titans over the Jets, the Raiders over Miami, the Packers at Minnesota and the Cowboys over the Giants.
- Kirk HerbstreitGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Herbstreit made a full slate of Week 1 picks — Lions, Ravens, Bears, Bills, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Titans, Eagles, Packers and Cowboys — and also said he still thinks Seattle is the team to beat in the NFC West.
More conference champions
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Chris BrockmanConference Champions · Seattle SeahawksHit · 100Brockman argues the Seahawks are at the start of a dynasty, predicting they will win multiple Super Bowls over the next five years, and that they are set up to return to the Super Bowl the following season in Los Angeles.
- Damonza ByrdConference Champions · Seattle SeahawksHit · 100The co-host picks the Seahawks to beat the Rams in the NFC Championship game, and says he believes New England will win in Denver even though he is taking the Broncos with the points.
- Nick WrightConference Champions · New England PatriotsHit · 100The host picks the Rams to beat the Seahawks in the NFC Championship game and believes the winner of that game wins the Super Bowl, i.e. that this is the Rams' year; he also picks New England to win in Denver despite taking the Broncos with the points, and says Stafford is winning MVP. He calls Sean McVay the second-best coach in the NFL.
- Nick WrightConference Champions · Denver BroncosClose · 50Wright picked the Broncos to beat the Patriots in a low-scoring AFC Championship game (17-16), said Sean Payton would coach Denver to the Super Bowl, picked the Rams to win outright in Seattle 31-20, believes the winner of the NFC game wins the Super Bowl with the Rams the better team, and expects Matt Stafford to be named league MVP.
- Derek MurphyConference Champions · Seattle SeahawksHit · 100Bone said after watching film that Seattle will handle the Rams in the NFC Championship Game, and that the Seahawks are going to the Super Bowl.
- Connor "Boston Connor" CampbellConference Champions · New England PatriotsHit · 100Connor expects a tight first half in Denver before New England pulls away in the second half and advances to the Super Bowl.