How the NFL Playoffs Work
NFL Playoff Format: Who Qualifies
Seven teams from each conference (AFC and NFC), 14 in total. The four division winners qualify automatically and are seeded 1 to 4 by regular-season record; the three best remaining teams in the conference are the wild cards, seeded 5 to 7. A wild card can have a better record than a division winner and still be seeded below it, division titles come first.
The Four Rounds
Six games over Saturday, Sunday and Monday. In each conference the No. 2 seed hosts No. 7, No. 3 hosts No. 6 and No. 4 hosts No. 5. The No. 1 seed rests.
The No. 1 seed returns to face the lowest remaining seed; the other two winners meet, with the higher seed at home. Because of reseeding, these matchups are not known until the Wild Card Round ends.
The AFC and NFC title games, both on the same Sunday. The higher seed hosts. The winners are the conference champions and advance to the Super Bowl.
Neutral site chosen years in advance. Super Bowl LXI is at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California on February 14, 2027.
Bye, Reseeding and Home Field
The bye
Only the No. 1 seed in each conference skips the Wild Card Round. Since the 2020 expansion from 12 to 14 teams, the No. 2 seed plays on Wild Card weekend like everyone else, which is why the race for the top seed matters so much in December.
Reseeding
After the Wild Card Round the bracket is re-drawn: the No. 1 seed always meets the lowest surviving seed. If the No. 7 seed wins its opener, it travels to the No. 1 seed; if the No. 5 seed is the lowest left, it goes there instead.
Home field
The higher seed hosts every game until the Super Bowl. Home teams have historically won roughly six in ten playoff games, so seeding is worth more than a week off, it decides where the games are played.
Tiebreakers
Ties in the standings are broken in a fixed order, and the order differs slightly for division titles and wild-card spots. Once a tiebreaker separates the teams, the remaining ties (if any) restart from the top.
Division ties (two clubs)
- Head-to-head
- Record within the division
- Record in common games
- Record within the conference
- Strength of victory
- Strength of schedule
- Combined ranking in conference points scored and allowed
- Combined ranking in league points scored and allowed
- Net points in common games
- Net points in all games
- Net touchdowns in all games
- Coin toss
Wild-card ties (two clubs)
- Head-to-head, if the teams played
- Record within the conference
- Record in common games (minimum four)
- Strength of victory
- Strength of schedule
- Combined ranking in conference points scored and allowed
- Combined ranking in league points scored and allowed
- Net points in conference games
- Net points in all games
- Net touchdowns in all games
- Coin toss
With three or more tied clubs, division ties are resolved within each division first, then the winners are compared using the wild-card list. The playoff picture on this site applies win percentage, head-to-head, conference record and point differential; the league applies the full list above.
Playoff Overtime Rules
Both teams get the ball
Since the 2022 rule change, each team is guaranteed a possession in playoff overtime, even if the first team scores a touchdown. The only exception is a safety on the opening possession, which ends the game.
No ties, no time limit
Overtime is played in full 15-minute periods with a two-minute break between them. If the score is still level after both teams have possessed the ball, the next score wins. Play continues until there is a winner, playoff games cannot end in a tie.
Timeouts and challenges
Each team gets three timeouts per two overtime periods, and the coin toss at the start of overtime decides who kicks off; the rest of the game follows regular timing rules.
NFL Playoff Format History
| Season | Change |
|---|---|
| 1978 | Playoffs expand to 10 teams with the first wild-card round |
| 1990 | 12 teams: three wild cards per conference, two byes |
| 2002 | Realignment to eight four-team divisions; four division winners plus two wild cards per conference |
| 2020 | 14 teams: a third wild card per conference, only the No. 1 seed gets a bye |
| 2022 | Postseason overtime guarantees both teams a possession |
That is the full NFL playoff format: 14 teams, one bye per conference, reseeding after Wild Card Weekend and no ties. See it in action on the bracket and the playoff picture, or try it yourself with the predictor.
NFL playoff format FAQ
How many teams make the NFL playoffs?
14: seven per conference. Four division winners (seeds 1-4) and three wild cards (5-7).
Who gets a bye?
Only the No. 1 seed in each conference, since the 2020 expansion.
Can a wild card have a better record than a division winner?
Yes, and it is still seeded below every division winner. It plays on the road in the Wild Card Round.
What happens if two teams have the same record?
The tiebreaker list applies: head-to-head, then division or conference record, common games, strength of victory, strength of schedule, down to a coin toss.
Can a playoff game end in a tie?
No. Overtime runs in full 15-minute periods until someone wins, and both teams get a possession.
Can a wild card team win the Super Bowl?
Yes: the 2020 Buccaneers, 2010 Packers, 2007 Giants and 2005 Steelers all did. Wild cards just play one more game, all on the road until the Super Bowl.
When did the playoffs expand to 14 teams?
The 2020 season, when a third wild card was added per conference and the No. 2 seed lost its bye.