How Do the NFL Playoffs Work? A Complete Guide
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The NFL playoffs are one of the most anticipated events in American sports, bringing together the best teams from both conferences in a high-stakes, single-elimination race to the Super Bowl. Yet with recent updates to the playoff structure, including expanded wild-card spots, reseeding rules, and only one team per conference earning a first-round bye, many fans still find the format confusing. Understanding how teams qualify, how they are seeded, and how each round works can make the postseason far more exciting to follow.
With the 2025-26 season already in its 15th week, a clear picture of the NFL playoff contenders is starting to emerge. And fans are certainly expecting something to know about the format.
From how the 14 playoff teams are chosen to how matchups are determined each round, here’s a complete breakdown of how the NFL playoffs work in the 2025-26 season.
How Many Teams Make the Playoffs & Who Qualifies
The NFL postseason now includes 14 teams total — seven from each conference (the American Football Conference, AFC, and the National Football Conference, NFC).
In each conference:
- 4 division winners (North, South, East, West) — they automatically qualify.
- 3 wild-card teams — the three non-division-winners with the best regular-season records in their conference.
That makes up the 7 playoff teams per conference.
How is NFL playoff seeding determined?
Once the 7 playoff teams per conference are known, they are seeded from 1 to 7:
Seeds 5–7: The three wild-card teams, ordered by record among wild-card qualifiers.
Seeds 1–4: The four division winners, ordered by their regular-season record (from best to worst).
How do the playoffs for the Super Bowl work?
| Round | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Wild-Card Round | Seeds 2–7 play; the 1-seed gets a bye. Matchups: 7 vs 2, 6 vs 3, 5 vs 4. |
| Divisional Round | Winners of the Wild-Card advance and join the 1-seed. The highest seed plays the lowest remaining seed, other two play each other. |
| Conference Championship | Two remaining teams in each conference play for the AFC and NFC titles. The higher-seeded team hosts. |
| Super Bowl | The two remaining teams in each conference play for the AFC and NFC titles. The higher-seeded team hosts. |
What does a first-round bye in the playoffs mean?
A first-round bye means a top-seeded team skips the first week of the playoffs and moves straight to the next round. They don’t have to play in the Wild Card games, so they get extra rest and a guaranteed home game. It’s basically a reward for having a great regular season.
How does home-field advantage work in the NFL playoffs?
In the NFL playoffs, the team with the higher seed, meaning the better regular-season record, gets to play at home. Simply put, the better team hosts the game.
What Happens After Wild-Card – Matchups & Bracket Structure
After the Wild Card games, the remaining teams move on to the Divisional Round. The highest seed always plays the lowest seed still left, and the other two teams face each other. This keeps the bracket balanced and rewards the top teams for their regular-season performance.
How Tie-Breakers Work (When Records Match)
When teams finish the regular season with identical records, common in wild-card races, the NFL uses a multi-step procedure to determine seeding or who gets in.
Key criteria include:
- Head-to-head record (if teams played each other)
- Division record (if in same division)
- Record vs. common opponents
- Strength of victory/strength of schedule
- Other disciplinary and league-wide rules, if needed
Conclusion
The NFL playoffs combine regular-season performance, divisional success, and a dash of drama. Fourteen teams’ champions and the strongest remaining clubs battle through a seeded, re-seeded bracket to reach the Super Bowl.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many teams make the NFL playoffs?
A: 14 total — 7 from the AFC and 7 from the NFC. That includes 4 division winners and 3 wild-card teams per conference.
Q: Who gets a first-round bye?
A: Only the No. 1 seed from each conference (best record among all 16 teams per conference) gets the bye and advances directly to the Divisional Round.
Q: What if two teams have the same record?
A: The NFL applies tie-breaking rules: head-to-head, division record, common opponents, strength of schedule, among others.
Q: Does the NFL use a fixed bracket?
A: No. After the Wild-Card Round, teams are reseeded: the highest seed plays the lowest seed remaining, and the other two play each other.
Q: When does the 2025–26 playoff season start and end?
A: The playoffs begin January 10, 2026, with Wild-Card games. They conclude with Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026.
