The NFL playoffs have finally arrived! It has been a wild 2025 season, and we can expect a crazy playoffs to start the New Year in 2026. When do the NFL playoffs start? Here is everything you need to know.
2026 NFL Playoffs Start on Saturday, Jan. 10
The 2026 NFL Playoffs (2025 season) start on Saturday, January 10. There are two Wild Card games on Saturday, with the Rams taking on the Panthers at 4:30 pm ET before the Packers take on the Bears at 8 pm ET. On Sunday, January 11, there are three Wild Card games before the round finishes with a contest on Monday night. Let’s look at the bracket and schedule below.
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AFC Playoff Bracket
In the AFC, the Denver Broncos are the top seed after finishing 14-3 and champions of the AFC West. Take a look at the bracket and seeding for the AFC Playoffs. The Broncos have a bye in the first round and will face the lowest seed remaining that advances from the Wild Card round.
NFC Playoff Bracket
In the NFC, it was the Seattle Seahawks who took the top spot after a 14-3 season and a division title in the NFC West. They will play the lowest seed remaining after the conclusion of the Wild Card round. Check out the bracket for the NFC Playoffs.
Wild Card Schedule for January 10-12
It should be a fantastic weekend of football, and you are probably wondering how to watch the games and which team plays when. Take a look at the full schedule, including game times, the TV channel, and which team is favored. The Rams are the biggest favorite of the weekend with a -10.5 spread against the Panthers. The Rams lost to the Panthers 31-28 in the regular season in week 13.
DateMatchupTime (ET)TVLine1/10Rams @ Panthers4:30 PMFOXLAR -10.51/10Packers @ Bears8:00 PMPrime VideoGB -1.51/11Bills @ Jaguars1:00 PMCBSBUF -1.51/1149ers @ Eagles4:30 PMFOXPHI -5.51/11Chargers @ Patriots8:00 PMNBC / PeacockNE -3.51/12Texans @ Steelers8:15 PMESPN / ABCHOU -3Seahawks, Broncos Have Bye Weeks
(The Seahawks topped the NFC with a 14-3 record. Photo: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images)The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos put together extremely impressive seasons that have been rewarded with a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the postseason. Both teams have gotten solid seasons from quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Bo Nix, who each tossed 25 touchdown passes this season.
Defense was strong for each of these teams as well. The Seahawks are first in the NFL in points given up and 6th in total yards. The Broncos were second in the league in total yards and third in points. Denver had an absurd 68.0 sacks this season, which was 11.0 more than the Falcons in second with 57.0.
NFL Expanded to 14 Playoff Teams in 2020
The NFL went from a 12-team playoff format to the current 14-team model in 2020. The change shifted the number of first-round byes from two to one and added an additional wild card team in each league. Now, the top team in each league receives a first-round bye and home-field advantage.
The NFL playoffs work as follows for each league. The top four teams in each conference are made up of the division winners based on overall record. Each of these teams is guaranteed at least one home game in the playoffs. The final three teams in the playoffs are wild-card selections. These are chosen based on the best records of teams that didn’t win the division.
The NFL tiebreakers start with head-to-head record before moving to division record. The next tiebreaker is the best record in common games before it moves to the best record in conference games.
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