The NFL regular season is an exhilarating journey filled with unexpected upsets and thrilling victories, all building towards the ultimate goal: the playoffs and the Super Bowl. As the season progresses, fans eagerly track their favorite teams, wondering about their chances of making it to the coveted postseason. A common question among both seasoned fans and newcomers alike is: just how many teams get the opportunity to compete for the Lombardi Trophy?
To clarify this crucial aspect of the NFL season, let’s dive into the details of the NFL playoff structure and discover how many teams battle it out for championship glory each year.
14 Teams Vie for Super Bowl Glory in the NFL Playoffs
For the 2024/2025 NFL season, a total of 14 teams earn a coveted spot in the NFL playoffs. This structure is divided evenly between the league’s two conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference sends seven teams to the playoffs, creating a balanced and competitive postseason bracket.
Within each conference, these seven playoff berths are allocated based on regular season performance. The top four spots are awarded to the four divisional winners. Each of the NFL’s eight divisions (four in the AFC and four in the NFC) sends its division champion to the playoffs automatically. These division winners are determined by the team with the best regular season record within their respective division.
The remaining three playoff spots in each conference are designated as wild card spots. These wild card berths are awarded to the three teams in each conference with the best regular season records that did not win their division. This wild card system ensures that even teams in highly competitive divisions have a strong chance to advance to the playoffs if they achieve a superior overall record.
Playoff Seeding and the Bracket System Explained
Once the 14 playoff teams are determined – seven from each conference – they are seeded from No. 1 to No. 7 based on their regular season records and tie-breaking procedures when necessary. This seeding is crucial as it dictates the playoff bracket and the path each team must navigate to reach the Super Bowl.
The No. 1 seed in each conference, awarded to the team with the best record, receives a significant advantage: a first-round bye. This bye allows the top seed to skip the Wild Card Round, providing valuable rest and recovery while the lower-seeded teams battle it out. The top seed then hosts the lowest-remaining seed in the Divisional Round.
The teams seeded No. 2 through No. 7 in each conference participate in the Wild Card Round. The matchups are structured as follows:
- No. 2 seed hosts the No. 7 seed
- No. 3 seed hosts the No. 6 seed
- No. 4 seed hosts the No. 5 seed
Winners of these Wild Card games advance to the Divisional Round to face the top seeds and compete for a spot in their respective Conference Championship games. Ultimately, the AFC Champion and NFC Champion emerge to clash in the Super Bowl, the pinnacle of the NFL season.
Evolution of the NFL Playoff Format
The NFL playoff format has evolved over the years to enhance competitiveness and fan engagement. Prior to the 2020 NFL season, only 12 teams made the playoffs (6 from each conference). The expansion to 14 teams introduced the current format, adding an extra wild card team to each conference and creating more excitement and opportunities for teams to reach the postseason. This change has intensified the playoff race and added further drama to the regular season.
Key Dates for the 2024-2025 NFL Playoffs
Mark your calendars for these important dates as the 14 playoff teams embark on their journey to Super Bowl glory:
- Wild Card Round: Saturday, January 11; Sunday, January 12; and Monday, January 13, 2025
- Divisional Round: Saturday, January 18 and Sunday, January 19, 2025
- Conference Championship Games: Sunday, January 26, 2025
- Super Bowl 2025: Sunday, February 9, 2025
As the season unfolds, keep an eye on the standings and witness the playoff picture take shape. Tune in to Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock throughout the season to catch pivotal games and follow the journey of these 14 teams as they compete for the ultimate prize in professional football.
