Fourteen teams make the NFL playoffs: seven from the American Football Conference (AFC) and seven from the National Football Conference (NFC).
How the 14 spots are split
| AFC | NFC | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Division winners | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| Wild cards | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Playoff teams | 7 | 7 | 14 |
The NFL has 32 teams, so a bit less than half the league (44%) makes the playoffs each year.
What does each team need?
- Win your division: You’re in, no matter your record. You’ll be one of the top four seeds.
- Or have one of the three best records among the rest: Those teams are the wild cards.
- Be the No. 1 seed: Only two teams in the whole league (one per conference) skip the first round.
How the number of playoff teams has grown
| Seasons | Playoff teams |
|---|---|
| 1970–1977 | 8 |
| 1978–1989 | 10 |
| 1990–2019 | 12 |
| 2020–today | 14 |
The jump to 14 teams came in 2020. Before then, the top two seeds in each conference got a bye. Now only the No. 1 seed does, which makes the top spot much more valuable.
How many games does it take to win the Super Bowl?
- No. 1 seed: 3 games (Divisional round, Conference Championship, Super Bowl)
- Every other playoff team: 4 games (Wild Card round first)
Will the playoffs get bigger?
There has been talk about expanding again, but as of the 2026 season, it’s still 14 teams.
For the full explanation of seeds, rounds and tiebreakers, read NFL Playoff Format Explained. To see who’s in right now, check the latest NFL playoff picture.
