NFL Officially Approves Big Changes To Its Playoff Format
The NFL is looking to shake things up for the playoffs next season.
NFL football is still quite a few months away but that hasn’t stopped the owners from holding meetings in order to discuss some of the importing rules for next season. Over the past couple of months, there have been discussions about changing the playoff format and adding a couple of teams. Well, today, the NFL owners officially voted to change the playoff format which will come into effect, this season.
The new format is pretty simple. Instead of 12 teams, there will be 14 teams to make the playoffs. Each conference will now have three wild card teams which means wild card weekend will have three games on Saturday and three games on Sunday. From now on, only the first seed in each conference will get a bye, as opposed to two. The NFL explained this decision on its website.
Peter Aiken/Getty Images
Per the NFL:
“Adding an additional playoff team in each conference means only the No.1 seeds in the AFC and NFC will earn a postseason bye, a massive advantage to the top club each year. While it’s been suggested that adding playoff teams could dilute the regular season, with the No. 1 spot earning an even bigger advantage than previous seasons, it could make the final weeks for vital for clubs battling for postseason position.”
Let us know in the comments below what you think of the new changes and be sure to stay tuned for more NFL news as free agency continues to ramp up.
[Via]
The NFL is looking to shake things up for the playoffs next season.
NFL football is still quite a few months away but that hasn’t stopped the owners from holding meetings in order to discuss some of the importing rules for next season. Over the past couple of months, there have been discussions about changing the playoff format and adding a couple of teams. Well, today, the NFL owners officially voted to change the playoff format which will come into effect, this season.
The new format is pretty simple. Instead of 12 teams, there will be 14 teams to make the playoffs. Each conference will now have three wild card teams which means wild card weekend will have three games on Saturday and three games on Sunday. From now on, only the first seed in each conference will get a bye, as opposed to two. The NFL explained this decision on its website.
Peter Aiken/Getty Images
Per the NFL:
“Adding an additional playoff team in each conference means only the No.1 seeds in the AFC and NFC will earn a postseason bye, a massive advantage to the top club each year. While it’s been suggested that adding playoff teams could dilute the regular season, with the No. 1 spot earning an even bigger advantage than previous seasons, it could make the final weeks for vital for clubs battling for postseason position.”
Let us know in the comments below what you think of the new changes and be sure to stay tuned for more NFL news as free agency continues to ramp up.
[Via]