Understanding the NFL Playoffs for the 2025 Season

The National Football League (NFL) playoffs are one of the most anticipated events in American sports. For the 2025 season, the structure and format of the postseason have been set, with seven teams in each conference competing to be crowned as champions in both the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC).

How Many Teams Make the NFL Playoffs?

For the 2025 season, a total of 14 teams qualify for the playoffs—seven from each conference. This number has fluctuated over the years, ranging from as few as two teams (from 1933 to 1966) to as many as 16 teams in 1982. The expansion to 14 playoff teams occurred in 2020, marking a significant shift in how the league determines its postseason participants.

NFL Playoff Format Overview

The NFL playoffs follow a single-elimination format, meaning that once a team loses a game, their season is over. The structure includes division champions and wild-card teams, which are determined based on regular-season records.

Seeding Process

• Division Champions: The four division winners in each conference automatically qualify for the playoffs. These teams are seeded No. 1 through No. 4 based on their regular-season records.
• Wild-Card Teams: The three remaining teams in each conference with the best records also make the playoffs. These teams are seeded No. 5 through No. 7, regardless of whether they have a better record than some of the division winners.

Even if a wild-card team has a better record than a division champion, it still receives a lower seed. This ensures that the seeding is based on overall performance rather than just divisional success.

First-Round Byes

The No. 1 seed in each conference receives a first-round bye, meaning they automatically advance to the next round without playing. This gives them the advantage of hosting all of their conference playoff games at home.

Are Teams Re-Seeded in Each Round?

One important aspect of the NFL playoffs is that the bracket is not reseeded after each round. However, the postseason is not a fixed bracket. The matchups are determined by the seeds and the results of previous games.

Wild-Card Round Matchups

In the wild-card round, the following games are played:

• No. 2 vs. No. 7
• No. 3 vs. No. 6
• No. 4 vs. No. 5

The higher-seeded team hosts the lower-seeded team in each matchup.

Divisional Round Matchups

In the divisional round:

• The No. 1 seed hosts the lowest-remaining seed.
• The other two winners play against each other, with the higher seed hosting.

The higher-seeded team then advances to the conference championship.

Conference Championships

The conference championship is played between the top two seeds in each conference. The winner of this game earns a spot in the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl Schedule

The Super Bowl 60 will be held on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The game is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on NBC/Peacock.

Playoff Schedule for the 2025 Season

Here is a breakdown of the key dates for the 2025 NFL playoffs:

Wild-Card Round

• January 10–12

Divisional Round

• January 17–18

Conference Championships

• January 25

Super Bowl 60

• February 8

AFC and NFC Playoff Brackets

Below are the teams that advanced to the playoffs in the 2025 season:

AFC

• Denver Broncos (14–3)
• New England Patriots (14–3)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (13–4)
• Pittsburgh Steelers (10–7)
• Houston Texans (12–5)
• Buffalo Bills (12–5)
• Los Angeles Chargers (11–6)

NFC

• Seattle Seahawks (14–3)
• Chicago Bears (11–6)
• Philadelphia Eagles (11–6)
• Carolina Panthers (8–9)
• Los Angeles Rams (12–5)
• San Francisco 49ers (12–5)
• Green Bay Packers (9–7–1)

Note: “a” denotes teams that advanced, while “e” indicates teams that were eliminated.

Wild-Card Round Schedule

AFC

• Sunday, January 11
• No. 6 Buffalo Bills 27, No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars 24
• No. 2 New England Patriots 16, No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers 3
• Monday, January 12
• No. 5 Houston Texans 30, No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers 6
• Bye: Denver Broncos

NFC

• Saturday, January 10
• No. 5 Los Angeles Rams 34, No. 4 Carolina Panthers 31
• No. 2 Chicago Bears 31, No. 7 Green Bay Packers 24
• Sunday, January 11
• No. 6 San Francisco 49ers 23, No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles 19
• Bye: Seattle Seahawks

Divisional Round Schedule

Saturday, January 17

• No. 1 Denver Broncos 33, No. 6 Buffalo Bills 30 (OT)
• No. 1 Seattle Seahawks 41, No. 6 San Francisco 49ers 6

Sunday, January 18

• No. 2 New England Patriots 28, No. 5 Houston Texans 16
• No. 5 Los Angeles Rams 20, No. 2 Chicago Bears 17

Conference Championships

Sunday, January 25

• AFC Championship Game: No. 2 New England Patriots 10, No. 1 Denver Broncos 7
• NFC Championship Game: No. 2 Seattle Seahawks 31, No. 5 Los Angeles Rams 27

Super Bowl 60

The Super Bowl 60 will feature the New England Patriots facing the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, February 8 at 6:30 p.m.