NFL: How many teams make the NFL playoffs?

The NFL playoffs are a single-elimination competition contested during the regular season to decide the winner of the NFL. Seven teams from each of the two divisions of the league qualified for the playoffs. If applicable, there is a tie-breaking process.

The tournament culminates in the Super Bowl: a league title game in which two teams, one from each conference, face each other to become champions of the NFL. NFL's playoff history can be traced back to the first NFL Championship Game in 1933, but in the early years, the game qualification was based purely on regular-season records.

From 1933 to 1966, the NFL playoffs usually consisted only of the NFL Title Game, which was the league's two division winners. After 1967, the playoffs were extended to allow four teams to qualify for the tournament. When the league consolidated with the American Football League (AFL) in 1970, the playoffs were extended to eight teams.

How many teams make the NFL playoffs?

A total of 14 teams will make NFL playoffs after the 2020 regular season. It's split down into seven NFC teams and seven AFC teams. The 2021 NFL playoffs will feature 14 teams combined, 7 from the AFC and 7 from the NFC. This is a new expansion for the 2020 season, which ensures that, in addition to the four division champions, each conference will earn three wildcard teams.

There are a total of 32 teams in the NFL, meaning 43.75 percent of the teams are going up to participate in the playoffs. The seed breaks down as the four division champions seeded No. 1-4 and the next three best records in three wild card slots.

Earlier this year, the NFL approved a contingency proposal to extend the playoffs to 16 teams if COVID-19 eliminates the opportunity to play a competitive game. So this is an impossible result, but one to be mindful of if the coronavirus strikes the NFL extra hard once holidays have come to an end.

Who is in the NFL playoffs 2021?

The entire playoff bracket will be announced after the "Sunday Night Football" game between the Washington Football Team and Philadelphia Eagles. Here's the current NFL playoff picture after the Week 17 Sunday Night Football:

AFC

1. Kansas City Chiefs

2. Buffalo Bills

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

4. Tennessee Titans

5. Baltimore Ravens

6. Cleveland Browns

7. Indianapolis Colts

NFC

1. Green Bay Packers

2. New Orleans Saints

3. Seattle Seahawks