How many teams make the NFL playoffs? Updated standings for 2025 playoff bracket

The 2024 NFL regular season is coming to an end. Week 18 is the final week of the season, leading us into the playoffs. 

There will be no Thursday or Monday games in Week 18, but after two games on Saturday and 14 on Sunday, the final playoff picture will be finalized. With the recent update to the playoffs, 14 teams will make the field. Most of the playoff spots in each conference are already clinched, but there are still a few spots on the line in Week 18 as well as finalizing the seeding. 

Sporting News breaks down the current playoff picture, along with an updated bracket and tiebreaking procedures heading into Week 18. 

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How many teams make the NFL playoffs in 2025?

Seven teams from both the AFC and the NFC make the playoffs.

The top seeds in each will receive a first-round bye, while the remaining teams duke it out in the Wild Card round. The winners advance and will join the No. 1 seed in the Divisional Round. Those winners then meet in the Championship Round.

After a week off for the Pro Bowl Games, the AFC and NFC representatives will meet in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 9.

Here’s how those 14 slots would play out as we enter Week 18:

AFC

1. Kansas City Chiefs (BYE)
2. Buffalo Bills vs. 7. Denver Broncos
3. Baltimore Ravens vs. 6. Los Angeles Chargers
4. Houston Texans vs. 5. Pittsburgh Steelers

NFC

1. Detroit Lions (BYE)
2. Philadelphia Eagles vs. 7. Green Bay Packers
3. Los Angeles Rams vs. 6. Washington Commanders
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. 5. Minnesota Vikings

NFL playoff picture

AFC

*Clinched playoff berth

NFC

*Clinched playoff berth

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NFL tiebreakers for playoffs

With a 17-game season, it isn’t uncommon for teams to finish with the same record. The league has implemented a deep set of tiebreakers to do its best to provide a hierarchy for teams that have finished with the same win-loss-tie record. 

To break a two-team tie within a division

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory in all games.
6. Strength of schedule in all games
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

To break a three-team tie within a division

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory in all games.
6. Strength of schedule in all games.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

To break a two-team Wild-Card tie (different divisions)

1. Head-to-head, if applicable.
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
4. Strength of victory in all games.
5. Strength of schedule in all games.
6. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
7. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best net points in conference games.
9. Best net points in all games.
10. Best net touchdowns in all games.
11. Coin toss.

To break a three-team Wild-Card tie (different divisions)

1. Apply division tiebreaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tiebreaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.
2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
5. Strength of victory in all games.
6. Strength of schedule in all games.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
9. Best net points in conference games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

Note from the League: If two clubs remain tied after one or more clubs are eliminated during any step, tiebreaker restarts at Step 1 of two-club format. If three clubs remain tied after a fourth club is eliminated during any step, tiebreaker restarts at Step 2 of three-club format.

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