The 2024 NFL regular season is wrapping up, and we’re heading into Week 18—the final push before the playoffs. For die-hard NFL fans, this is where the excitement truly begins. No more Thursday or Monday games, but fans should brace themselves for a packed weekend with two games on Saturday and 14 games on Sunday. By the end of it, the 2025 NFL playoff picture will be complete.
With recent updates to the playoff format, 14 teams advance to the postseason, and in this guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know—how many teams make the playoffs, how the bracket works, and who’s already clinched a spot.
How Many Teams Make the NFL Playoffs?
Fourteen teams make the NFL playoffs each year—seven from the AFC and seven from the NFC.
Here’s the deal:
- Top Seeds (1 per conference): The #1 seeds in the AFC and NFC earn the coveted first-round bye and home-field advantage. Not bad, right? But you’ve got to seriously dominate all season to get there.
- Wild Card Teams (3 per conference): These are the teams that just squeaked into the playoffs. They’re scrappy, and if history tells us anything, they’re often dangerous.
2025 Playoff Format:
After the regular season ends in Week 18, the playoffs kick off with the Wild Card round. The winners from that round move on to the Divisional round, where the #1 seeds finally join the action. From there, contenders duke it out in the Championship games for a ticket to the Super Bowl, scheduled for Sunday, February 9, 2025.
2025 NFL Playoff Bracket after Week 18
Here’s how the bracket looks after the Week 18 action, with all the playoff spots locked down. If your team’s here, congratulations. If not, we promise those draft picks look amazing.
AFC Playoff Picture:
- Kansas City Chiefs (Bye) – Home-field advantage for a dominant season (15-2). Not a shocker.
- Buffalo Bills vs. 7. Denver Broncos – Josh Allen takes on the Mile High underdogs.
- Baltimore Ravens vs. 6. Pittsburgh Steelers – A classic AFC North smackdown.
- Houston Texans vs. 5. Los Angeles Chargers – Justin Herbert enters Texans territory.
NFC Playoff Picture:
- Detroit Lions (Bye) – Yes, you read that right. The Lions are 15-2 and terrifying this year (what timeline is this?).
- Philadelphia Eagles vs. 7. Green Bay Packers – Jalen Hurts faces off against a sneaky Pack.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. 6. Washington Commanders – A battle of the wild cards.
- Los Angeles Rams vs. 5. Minnesota Vikings – Don’t sleep on this matchup.
Who Clinched and Who’s Watching from the Couch?
Here’s the full list of NFL teams that punched their tickets to the playoffs, sorted by conference:
AFC Seedings:
- [Kansas City Chiefs] (15-2) – Home-field advantage
- [Buffalo Bills] (13-4) – AFC East champs.
- [Baltimore Ravens] (12-5) – AFC North winners.
- [Houston Texans] (10-7) – AFC South champs and low-key surprising.
- [Los Angeles Chargers] (11-6) – Wild-card team #1.
- [Pittsburgh Steelers] (10-7) – Wild-card team #2.
- [Denver Broncos] (10-7) – Wild-card team #3 squeaks in.
NFC Seedings:
- [Detroit Lions] (15-2) – Home-field dominance (still sounds weird to say).
- [Philadelphia Eagles] (14-3) – The NFC East Beasts.
- [Tampa Bay Buccaneers] (10-7) – NFC South champs in the post-Brady era.
- [Los Angeles Rams] (10-7) – NFC West winners.
- [Minnesota Vikings] (14-3) – Probably the toughest wild-card team we’ve seen in years.
- [Washington Commanders] (12-5) – Solid season earns them a seat.
- [Green Bay Packers] (11-6) – Love is shining in Lambeau.
Just Missed the Cut:
Sorry to fans of teams like the Jets or Seahawks—it was close, but not close enough. Better luck next year.
What Happens if There’s a Tie?
Ah, NFL tiebreakers. If you thought figuring out playoff spots was simple… well, think again. Here’s how the league determines who advances when teams have the same record:
Division Tiebreakers
For a two-team tie:
- Head-to-head record.
- Best division record.
- Record against common opponents.
- Record within the conference.
- Strength of victory (opponents you’ve beaten).
- Strength of schedule (how tough your season was).
- Points scored vs. points allowed.
Wild Card Tiebreakers:
For a three-team tie:
- Eliminate all but the highest-ranked club from EACH division using division tiebreakers.
- Head-to-head sweep (if one team has beaten all others).
- Conference record.
- Common games record (at least 4 required).
- Margin of victory.
Yes, it’s a lot. And if it all fails? Coin toss. Imagine your team’s playoff dreams resting on heads or tails. Brutal.
Final Thoughts on the 2025 NFL Playoffs
The NFL playoffs promise the kind of drama and excitement that only football can deliver. Whether your team’s fighting for the Lombardi Trophy or re-strategizing for next season, the postseason is when champions emerge—and memories are made.
The countdown to February 9 begins now. Who’s ready?