Yahoo Sports How many teams get a bye in the NFL playoffs? Full 2024 postseason format
Week 15 of the NFL season is here, and four teams have already clinched playoff spots. The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs are locked into the playoffs with division titles. In the NFC, the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles have clinched playoff spots and will at least be wild card teams. Only seven teams have been eliminated from playoff contention with four weeks to go.
That means 10 of the 14 playoff spots are still in contention for 25 teams. There's also the matter of seeding. Depending on how teams finish the regular season, a couple could earn a bye during Super Wild Card weekend.
Here's how many teams will earn a bye in the playoffs and a full-format explainer.
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How many NFL teams earn a bye in the playoffs?
Two teams will have the first round off in the playoffs: the No. 1 seeds in each conference. Those two are the only teams out of the field of 14 who will have a week off.
Under the previous playoff format, the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in each conference got a bye in the first round of the playoffs. That changed with the expanded playoff first instituted in the 2020 NFL season.
NFL playoff format
Wild card round
No. 1 seed has a bye.
No. 7 seed at No. 2 seed
No. 6 seed at No. 3 seed
No. 5 seed at No. 4 seed
Divisional round
Lowest remaining seed at No. 1 seed
Second-lowest remaining seed at second-highest remaining seed
Conference championship
Divisional round winners, hosted by higher seed
Super Bowl
Conference championship winners
NFL playoff dates
Wild card round: Saturday, Jan. 11 to Monday, Jan. 13, 2025
Divisional round: Saturday, Jan. 18 to Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025
Conference championship: Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025
Super Bowl: Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025
Where is the Super Bowl this year?
Super Bowl LIX will be played at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. This will be the eighth Super Bowl in the stadium that is home to the New Orleans Saints.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL playoffs: How many teams earn a bye for the postseason?
