Start date, postseason format explained

The race for Super Bowl 59 is getting closer. Twelve of the 14 teams that make it to the postseason will begin their playoff journey in just a few weeks.

The Wild Card Round of the 2024-25 NFL Playoffs is scheduled to begin just a week after the end of the regular season in Week 18. Every team except the No. 1 seed in each conference will play the first weekend of postseason action for a chance to advance to the divisional round.

As of Saturday of Week 17, only the Kansas City Chiefs have secured the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye so far, leaving the schedule for the NFC’s top contenders still up in the air.

Here’s what you should know about the 2024-25 NFL Playoffs, including their start date and format:

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When do the NFL playoffs start?

The first round of the NFL playoffs is the wild card round, which takes place January 11-13.

The seeds 2 to 7 from both conferences will compete in one of six matchups in the three-day opening round. This year’s playoffs begin with two games on Saturday, January 11th, continue with three more on Sunday, January 12th and conclude with one game on Monday, January 13th.

The second round of the playoffs, the divisional round, will take place a week later over two days – Saturday, January 18 and Sunday, January 19 – and will include all eight remaining playoff teams. The conference championships take place the following Sunday and the respective winners receive a week off before Super Bowl 59 on February 9th.

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NFL postseason format, explained

The NFL’s playoff series is dynamic, meaning teams are not locked into a series with predetermined future matchups once their seeding has been decided.

In the first round, the No. 1 seed in each conference receives a bye to the divisional round, while the remaining teams – Nos. 2-7 – play for a chance to advance.

After the first wild card round, each No. 1 seed will be compared to the lowest remaining conference seed in the divisional round. Meanwhile, the second-highest remaining seed gets a matchup with the second-lowest.

This format ultimately guarantees that the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds will play the No. 1 seed in the Conference Championship at the earliest – either they are eliminated in the Wild Card Round or they play each other or a lower seed team in the Division Round until there are upsets comes.

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