A total of 14 teams qualify for the NFL playoffs, seven from the AFC and seven from the NFC. Each conference sends four division winners (seeded 1-4 based on record) and three wild card teams (seeded 5-7 based on record).
The No. 1 seed in each conference receives a first-round bye, advancing directly to the Divisional Round. All other playoff games are single elimination–lose once, and your season is over.
The 14-team format was introduced in 2020, expanding from the previous 12-team structure that had been in place since 1990. The change added a third wild card team to each conference and eliminated the second first-round bye.
2025-26 NFL Playoff Schedule
- Wild Card Weekend: Saturday, Jan. 10 – Monday, Jan. 12, 2026
- Divisional Round: Saturday, Jan. 17 – Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026
- Conference Championships: Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026
- Super Bowl LX: Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
The Wild Card Round features six games over three days, with two games on Saturday, three on Sunday, and one on Monday night.
AFC Playoff Picture Entering Week 18
Clinched Playoff Berths
| Seed | Team | Record | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver Broncos | 13-3 | Clinched AFC West |
| 2 | New England Patriots | 13-3 | Clinched AFC East |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 12-4 | Clinched playoff berth |
| 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 9-7 | In playoff position |
| 5 | Houston Texans | 11-5 | Clinched playoff berth |
| 6 | Los Angeles Chargers | 11-5 | Clinched playoff berth |
| 7 | Buffalo Bills | 11-5 | Clinched playoff berth |
In the Hunt
| Team | Record | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 9-7 | Must beat Steelers to make playoffs |
AFC Clinching Scenarios
- Denver Broncos clinch the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage with a win vs. the Chargers.
- New England Patriots clinch the No. 1 seed with a win vs. the Dolphins AND a Broncos loss.
- Jacksonville Jaguars clinch the AFC South with a win vs. the Titans OR a Texans loss.
- Pittsburgh Steelers clinch the AFC North and make the playoffs with a win or tie vs. the Ravens.
- Baltimore Ravens clinch the AFC North and make the playoffs with a win vs. the Steelers.
- Key game: Ravens at Steelers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC) — Winner takes the AFC North. Loser is eliminated.
NFC Playoff Picture Entering Week 18
Clinched Playoff Berths
| Seed | Team | Record | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle Seahawks | 13-3 | In position for No. 1 seed |
| 2 | Chicago Bears | 11-5 | Clinched NFC North |
| 3 | Philadelphia Eagles | 11-5 | Clinched NFC East |
| 4 | Carolina Panthers | 8-8 | In playoff position |
| 5 | San Francisco 49ers | 12-4 | Clinched playoff berth |
| 6 | Los Angeles Rams | 11-5 | Clinched playoff berth |
| 7 | Green Bay Packers | 9-6-1 | Clinched playoff berth (locked into No. 7 seed) |
In the Hunt
| Team | Record | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7-9 | Must beat Panthers + Saints beat Falcons |
NFC Clinching Scenarios
- Seattle Seahawks clinch the NFC West, No. 1 seed, and home-field advantage with a win vs. the 49ers.
- San Francisco 49ers clinch the NFC West, No. 1 seed, and home-field advantage with a win vs. the Seahawks.
- Carolina Panthers clinch the NFC South with a win or tie vs. the Buccaneers OR a Falcons win vs. the Saints (creates a three-way tie that Carolina wins).
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinch the NFC South with a win vs. the Panthers AND a Saints win vs. the Falcons.
- Key game: Seahawks at 49ers (Saturday, 8:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — Winner takes the NFC West and the No. 1 seed. The loser drops to the No. 5 or No. 6 seed.
MORE: PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor
How the NFL Playoff Bracket Works
The NFL uses a re-seeding format rather than a fixed bracket.
Wild Card Round:
- No. 2 seed hosts No. 7 seed
- No. 3 seed hosts No. 6 seed
- No. 4 seed hosts No. 5 seed
- No. 1 seed receives a bye
Divisional Round:
- No. 1 seed hosts the lowest remaining seed
- The two other surviving teams play each other, with the higher seed hosting
Conference Championship:
- Higher remaining seed hosts
This format rewards regular-season success by ensuring the top seed always faces the weakest remaining opponent in the Divisional Round.
Week 18 Games With Playoff Implications
Saturday, Jan. 3
| Matchup | Time (ET) | Network | Stakes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers at Buccaneers | 4:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN | NFC South title |
| Seahawks at 49ers | 8:00 p.m. | ABC/ESPN | NFC West title, NFC No. 1 seed |
Sunday, Jan. 4
| Matchup | Time (ET) | Network | Stakes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaguars at Titans | 1:00 p.m. | FOX | AFC South title |
| Texans at Colts | 1:00 p.m. | CBS | AFC South title (with help) |
| Dolphins at Patriots | 4:25 p.m. | FOX | AFC No. 1 seed (with help) |
| Chargers at Broncos | 4:25 p.m. | CBS | AFC No. 1 seed |
| Ravens at Steelers | 8:20 p.m. | NBC | AFC North title, final playoff spot |
Super Bowl LX Details
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026
- Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
- Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC (also streaming on Peacock)
- Halftime Show: Bad Bunny
This will be the second Super Bowl hosted at Levi’s Stadium, following Super Bowl 50 in February 2016. It marks the 60th edition of the championship game.
Teams Eliminated From Playoff Contention
AFC (9 teams): Chiefs, Bengals, Colts, Dolphins, Browns, Jets, Raiders, Titans, and one of Ravens/Steelers after Sunday
NFC (9 teams): Lions, Vikings, Cowboys, Commanders, Falcons, Saints, Cardinals, Giants, and potentially one of Panthers/Buccaneers
The 2025-26 playoffs will mark the first postseason since 2014 without the Kansas City Chiefs, who were eliminated after Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 15. According to PFSN Analytics, the Chiefs currently have a 75.7% chance of landing a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
