Ryan Clark Predicts New England Patriots Will Miss the Playoffs in 2026
The New England Patriots had one of the better stories in the NFL last season. Drake Maye looked like the real deal, Mike Vrabel steadied the ship in year one and a team that had back-to-back 4-13 finishes somehow won 14 games, took the AFC East and made it all the way to Super Bowl LX.
They lost 29-13 to the Seattle Seahawks but the run alone turned heads across the league. Now the 2026 schedule is out, and the conversation has already changed.
Former Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark isn't buying New England as a playoff team this time around.
Ryan Clark's Take on the Patriots' 2026 Chances
Clark made his feelings clear, during a recent segment of ESPN's "Get Up," when breaking down what the Patriots are walking into this season. His main point was simple. Last year, New England had a fourth-place schedule working in their favor. That's gone now.
"When you look at the Patriots, you were coming off of a fourth-place schedule last year. This year, you play the first-place schedule," Clark said. "It's different now. You aren't sneaking up on anyone. I believe they not only take a step back, but in my opinion, the New England Patriots miss the playoffs this year, based on this schedule."
"This is a totally different schedule with different expectations. ... I believe they not only take a step back, but in my opinion, the New England Patriots miss the playoffs."
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 15, 2026
-@Realrclark25 on the Patriots' schedule for the 2026-27 season pic.twitter.com/ywalYrVndf
He also noted that the element of surprise is completely off the table. In 2025, nobody was putting serious pressure on Maye or Vrabel coming in. That changes when you reach the Super Bowl. The expectations shift and so does the way opponents prepare for you.
Clark called out the NFC North slate specifically, pointing to games against the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers as real tests.
Then there's the AFC West portion of the schedule with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs waiting as well. The degree of difficulty this season is on a different level entirely.
New England Patriots 2026 Schedule
- Week 1, Sept. 9: Patriots at Seattle Seahawks
- Week 2, Sept. 20: Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
- Week 3, Sept. 27: Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars
- Week 4, Oct. 4: Patriots at Buffalo Bills
- Week 5, Oct. 11: Patriots vs. Las Vegas Raiders
- Week 6, Oct. 18: Patriots vs. New York Jets
- Week 7, Oct. 22: Patriots at Chicago Bears
- Week 8, Nov. 1: Patriots at Miami Dolphins
- Week 9, Nov. 8: Patriots vs. Green Bay Packers
- Week 10, Nov. 15: Patriots at Detroit Lions
- Week 11: BYE WEEK
- Week 12, Nov. 29: Patriots at Los Angeles Chargers
- Week 13, Dec. 6: Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills
- Week 14, Dec. 10: Patriots vs. Minnesota Vikings
- Week 15, Dec. 21: Patriots at Kansas City Chiefs
- Week 16, Dec. 27: Patriots at New York Jets
- Week 17, Jan. 2-4: Patriots vs. Denver Broncos
- Week 18, Jan. 9-10: Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins
Whether Clark is right depends a lot on how Maye handles the jump from surprise contender to legitimate target. The schedule will test that answer pretty early.
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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 6:43 AM.