PLAYOFFS
Playoff Structure
The NFL Playoffs determine the league champion through a single‑elimination postseason tournament featuring 14 teams: seven from the AFC and seven from the NFC.
- Four division winners per conference
- Three wild card teams per conference
- Teams are seeded 1–7 based on regular season record
- The No. 1 seed in each conference receives a first‑round bye
- All games are single elimination
- Higher seed hosts every matchup except the Super Bowl
Playoff Rounds
All playoff rounds results can be found on the individual AFC/NFC Conference pages including the Conference Championship Games.
Conferences
Wild Card Round
- No. 2 seed vs No. 7 seed
- No. 3 seed vs No. 6 seed
- No. 4 seed vs No. 5 seed
- No. 1 seed receives a bye
Divisional Round
- No. 1 seed hosts the lowest remaining seed
- Other two winners meet at the higher seed’s stadium
Conference Championships
- AFC Championship Game
- NFC Championship Game
- Higher seed hosts
Super Bowl
- AFC Champion vs NFC Champion
- Played at a neutral site selected years in advance
Overtime (Postseason)
- Both teams must receive a possession
- Game continues with multiple overtime periods if needed
- Sudden death applies only after both teams have had the ball