If you’re asking how many teams make the NFL playoffs, the answer is 14 teams total — 7 from the AFC and 7 from the NFC. This expanded 14‑team format has been in place since the 2020 season and remains the league’s current postseason structure heading into 2025–26.
With 32 teams total in the NFL, that means nearly 44% of the league qualifies for the playoffs, giving more franchises a shot at a Super Bowl run and keeping the final weeks of the regular season packed with drama.
NFL playoff format at a glance
Under today’s NFL playoff rules:
- 14 teams make the NFL playoffs each season: 7 per conference
- 4 division winners (North, South, East, West) automatically qualify
- 3 wild‑card teams (next three best records)
- Only one bye per conference — the No. 1 seed in each
- Single‑elimination, win‑or‑go‑home tournament from wild‑card weekend through the Super Bowl
The No. 1 seed earns home‑field advantage and a first‑round bye, while the remaining 12 teams battle in the wild‑card round before advancing to the divisional round, conference championships, and ultimately the Super Bowl.
How NFL playoff teams are selected
Each conference sends seven playoff teams, which explains how the number of playoff teams hits 14 each year. Those seven teams are broken down as follows:
Division winners (4 per conference)
Each conference is divided into four divisions:
- North
- South
- East
- West
The team with the best record in each division wins the title and locks in as a division‑winner seed (1–4 in the playoff bracket). These four squads are guaranteed a postseason berth and the right to host a wild‑card game if they’re not the No. 1 seed.
Wild-card teams (3 per conference)
The remaining three spots per conference are filled by:
- The three best teams that did not win their division
- Wild‑card teams are slotted by record and tiebreakers, ranging from No. 5 to No. 7 seed
- All but the No. 1 seed play in the wild‑card round, either on the road or at home depending on seed
This structure explains why 14 teams make the NFL playoffs each year and why the 14‑team bracket matters for late‑season races.
Who gets a bye in the NFL playoffs?
Only two teams total get a first‑round bye in the NFL playoffs:
- No. 1 seed in the AFC
- No. 1 seed in the NFC
These teams skip the wild‑card round and advance straight to the divisional round, where they host the lowest‑seeded survivor from the first weekend. That extra week of rest, plus a guaranteed home‑field advantage, makes the No. 1 seed especially valuable as the league leans further into a 17‑game schedule.
Even though only 14 teams make the NFL playoffs, having just two byes creates a big competitive edge for the top seeds.
NFL playoff structure explained (round by round)
The NFL postseason is a four‑round, single‑elimination knockout that begins with the 14 teams that make the playoffs and ends with one Super Bowl champion.
Wild-card round
- 12 teams play: all wild‑card teams plus the 2–4 seeds
- Best‑of‑seven‑team bracket in each conference
- 6 winners advance to the divisional round
Divisional round
- 8 teams remain: 2 conference winners plus the 6 survivors
- Higher seeds host lower seeds
- 4 teams move on to the conference championships
Conference championships
- AFC Championship Game and NFC Championship Game
- Winners of each become conference champions
- Both book a ticket to the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
- AFC champion vs NFC champion
- The winner claims the Vince Lombardi Trophy and is crowned Super Bowl champion
Every game is win‑or‑go‑home, and the bracket is seeded so the top‑seeded survivor always faces the lowest‑seeded team left in the lineup.
When did the NFL expand to 14 playoff teams?
The NFL’s current 14‑team setup launched in 2020 as part of the league’s new collective bargaining agreement. Before that, the playoff field looked like this:
- 1970–1977: 8 playoff teams
- 1978–1989: 10 playoff teams
- 1990–2019: 12 playoff teams (6 per conference)
With the 2020 expansion:
- 2 extra teams were added (1 card per conference)
- The No. 1 seed in each conference retained its bye, but the old No. 2 bye was removed
- The league now holds “Super Wild Card Weekend” with more games and more TV revenue
As of 2025–26, the 14‑team format that sets the number of playoff teams each year remains unchanged, and expansion talks (such as moving to 16 teams) are still in the discussion phase beyond the current CBA.
Why the 14‑team NFL playoff format matters
This expanded bracket has reshaped the NFL in several key ways:
- More teams stay in contention deep into Week 17 and Week 18, keeping fan interest and ticket sales strong.
- Earning the No. 1 seed is now a major strategic goal, as it gives a team a bye plus home‑field advantage.
- Two extra playoff games per year mean more TV windows, more ad dollars, and a longer postseason calendar.
- More wild‑card spoiler scenarios, where a 7‑seed can upset a 2‑seed, add instant‑classic potential to the schedule.
Week 18 is now one of the most chaotic and exciting weeks of the NFL season, often deciding multiple playoff spots and seeding races at once — and all of that hinges on how 14 teams make the NFL playoffs in the modern era.
2023–24 NFL playoffs (2024 recap: which 14 teams made it)
While the 14‑team format is constant, the 2023–24 playoffs produced some of the most memorable storylines in recent memory.
How many teams made the 2023–24 NFL playoffs?
Again, the answer is 14 teams:
- AFC: Ravens, Chiefs, Texans, Bills, Chargers, Browns, Dolphins
- NFC: 49ers, Lions, Packers, Cowboys, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Saints
That meant seven teams per conference duking it out for a shot at Super Bowl LVIII.
AFC playoff teams and seeding (2023–24)
| Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore Ravens | 13–4 |
| 2 | Buffalo Bills | 11–6 |
| 3 | Kansas City Chiefs | 11–6 |
| 4 | Houston Texans | 10–7 |
| 5 | Cleveland Browns | 11–6 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Chargers | 11–6 |
| 7 | Miami Dolphins | 11–6 |
The Ravens earned the top seed and a first‑round bye, while the Chiefs, Bills, Texans, Browns, Chargers, and Dolphins fought through the wild‑card round.
NFC playoff teams and seeding (2023–24)
| Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco 49ers | 12–5 |
| 2 | Dallas Cowboys | 12–5 |
| 3 | Detroit Lions | 12–5 |
| 4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 10–7 |
| 5 | Green Bay Packers | 9–8 |
| 6 | Arizona Cardinals | 10–7 |
| 7 | New Orleans Saints | 9–8 |
The 49ers locked in the No. 1 seed and a bye, while the rest jostled for position in a wild‑card round that included upsets and last‑minute finishes.
2023–24 playoff results (wild‑card & divisional)
On wild-card weekend, some of the biggest shocks came from underdogs:
- Houston Texans 45, Cleveland Browns 14
- Kansas City Chiefs 26, Miami Dolphins 7
- Buffalo Bills 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
- Denver Broncos 27, Buffalo Bills 10
In the divisional round:
- Baltimore Ravens 34, Houston Texans 10
- Kansas City Chiefs 27, Buffalo Bills 24
- Detroit Lions 31, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23
- San Francisco 49ers 24, Green Bay Packers 21
Those results set up two conference‑championship showdowns with major storylines.
Conference championships and Super Bowl LVIII
In the AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs beat the Ravens 17–10 in Baltimore, earning Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense a return trip to the big game.
In the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers triumphed over the Lions 34–24 in San Francisco, putting an end to Detroit’s remarkable journey and reigniting the 49ers–Chiefs rivalry on the grandest stage.
At Super Bowl LVIII, the Chiefs defeated the 49ers 25–22 in overtime, giving Kansas City its second straight Super Bowl title and Patrick Mahomes his third ring. The game was held on Sunday, February 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Where to watch the NFL playoffs (TV and streaming)
If you’re an NFL fan in the U.S., you have several ways to tune in for every playoff weekend, including the wild-card round, divisional round, conference championships, and Super Bowl, the final game for the 14 teams that make the playoffs.
Cable and satellite TV
Traditional cable and satellite remain the most reliable way to catch every game:
- CBS and FOX air many wild‑card and divisional games
- NBC has the Sunday night playoff package and the Super Bowl in certain years
- ESPN / ABC often carries Monday night playoff games
- NFL Network and NFL RedZone give you every snap and highlights from around the league
This setup is ideal if you want a full‑season sports package but can be pricey if you only care about the postseason.
Streaming services
Streaming platforms offer a flexible, often more affordable way to watch the playoffs:
- YouTube TV
- Hulu + Live TV
- Sling TV
- FuboTV
- DirecTV Stream
With these services you can stream games on a laptop, tablet, phone, or smart TV, as long as you have a stable internet connection and a compatible device.
Over‑the‑air (antenna)
If you live in a market with a local broadcaster (CBS, NBC, FOX, or ABC), an HD antenna can be one of the cheapest ways to watch:
- Just plug in a simple antenna
- Run a channel scan
- Catch any game that airs on your local network
This works well for regional games and Super Bowl broadcast windows, but you’ll miss out‑of‑market matchups unless you have a subscription service.
NFL Game Pass
For on‑demand viewing, NFL Game Pass is perfect:
- Watch full replays of every game, including playoffs
- Choose between full‑length or condensed games (about 15–20 minutes)
- Download games to watch offline later
This is excellent if you want to see how the 14 playoff teams reached the Super Bowl on your schedule.
Frequently asked questions
How many teams per conference make the playoffs?
Seven teams per conference: four division winners and three wild‑card teams.
How many teams get a bye in the NFL playoffs?
Only two teams total get a bye: the No. 1 seed in the AFC and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
When did the NFL expand to 14 playoff teams?
The league expanded from 12 to 14 playoff teams starting in the 2020 season under the new collective bargaining agreement.
Is the NFL playoff format changing in the near future?
As of 2025–26, the 14‑team format remains unchanged. Future negotiations could see expansion to 16 teams, but that’s still speculation.
