The race to Super Bowl 59 is approaching. Twelve of the 14 teams to make the postseason will begin their playoff journeys in mere weeks.
The wild-card round of the 2024-25 NFL playoffs are set to kick off just one week after the regular season concludes in Week 18. Every team besides the No. 1 seed in each conference will play during the first weekend of postseason action for a chance to move on to the divisional round.
Entering the Saturday of Week 17, only the Kansas City Chiefs have clinched the top 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 to 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 its wild-card round, which will take place from Jan. 11-13.
Seeds Nos. 2 through 7 in both conferences will face off in one of the six total matchups over the three-day opening round. This year’s playoffs will kick off with two games on Saturday, Jan. 11, continue with three more on Sunday, Jan. 12 and conclude with one game on Monday, Jan. 13.
The second round of the playoffs, the divisional round, will take place one week later over two days – Saturday, Jan. 18 and Sunday, Jan. 19 – and feature all eight remaining playoff teams. Conference championships take place the following Sunday, and the winners of each will get a week off before Super Bowl 59 on Feb. 9.
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NFL postseason format, explained
The NFL’s playoff bracket is dynamic, meaning teams are not locked into a bracket with predetermined future matchups once their seeding is decided.
In the first round, the No. 1 seed from each conference receives a bye into the division round as the remaining teams – seeds Nos. 2-7 – play for a chance to move on.
Following the opening wild-card round, each No. 1 seed is matched against 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 No. 2 and No. 3 seeds won’t play the No. 1 seed until the conference championship at the earliest – either they’re eliminated in the wild-card round, or they play each other or a lower-seeded team in the divisional round, pending upsets.
The two divisional round clashes determine who plays in their respective conference championships, both of which take place on the same day. This year, that’s Sunday, Jan. 26.
This year’s two conference championship winners will then get a week off before they head to New Orleans to play in Super Bowl 59 on Sunday, Feb. 9.
With the start of the sports season fast approaching, fans may be wondering about the start date and postseason format for their favorite teams. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect:
Start date: The start date for the upcoming season will be announced by the league in the coming weeks. Typically, the season kicks off in the fall, with preseason games taking place in the weeks leading up to the official start date. Keep an eye on the league’s website and social media channels for updates on when your team will be hitting the field or court.
Postseason format: The postseason format varies depending on the sport and league. In some leagues, such as the NFL and NBA, teams compete in a playoff format to determine the champion. In other leagues, such as MLB, teams compete in a series of series to determine the champion. The specifics of the postseason format will be announced by the league closer to the end of the regular season.
So get ready to cheer on your favorite team as they compete for a spot in the postseason and ultimately, the championship title! Stay tuned for more updates on the start date and postseason format as the season approaches.
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start date, postseason format, MLB playoffs, playoff structure, playoff schedule, postseason breakdown, playoff seeding, playoff seeding explained, playoff format explained, playoff rules, playoff teams, playoff matchups, playoff predictions
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