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The Los Angeles Chargers are entering the 2026 NFL season with expectations building around a team that believes it can take another step forward. That belief received an interesting boost recently when Fox Sports NFL writer Greg Auman made a bold prediction that the Chargers will defeat the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LXI.
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Sounds crazy, right? However it’s not impossible and could be a huge possibility. Both teams are poised for great years, and it wouldn’t shock me it came to fruition.
If that prediction comes true, it would create a championship matchup unlike anything the football world has experienced before. Two teams from the same city would meet with the Lombardi Trophy on the line, turning SoFi Stadium into the center of the football world. It would simply feed football families across the world.
A Familiar Stadium, a Historic Opportunity
There is something particularly intriguing about the possibility of the Chargers playing for a championship in their own stadium. The Bolts could potentially have the rare opportunity to play the biggest game of the season on familiar ground. The surroundings would be familiar, but the stakes would be completely different.
Justin Herbert remains at the center of the Chargers’ championship hopes. With him leading the offense, the Bolts have the quarterback capable of making the throws necessary to survive a long postseason run. The bigger question is whether everything around him can consistently match that level. With playmakers all across the field, it shouldn’t be an issue.
The Chargers will also have to navigate a difficult AFC before they can even think about reaching the Super Bowl. Every mistake becomes more costly once the postseason begins, and the margin for error gets smaller with every round. On the other side of Auman’s prediction would be the Rams, creating an especially fascinating battle. The Rams would have their own championship aspirations, while the Chargers would be attempting to finish the season by beating their fellow SoFi tenant for the sport’s ultimate prize.
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It is certainly a bold scenario, but that is what makes the prediction so interesting.
The Chargers have spent years searching for the season when everything finally falls into place. If Auman’s vision becomes reality, they would not only reach the Super Bowl but potentially win it in the same building they call home.
For a franchise looking to create a new chapter, there may not be a more memorable way to do it.
Today’s best reads
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/chargers/onsi as How Chargers Can Make Intriguing All-LA Super Bowl Prediction Come True.
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This story was originally published September 11, 2026 at 12:00 PM.