How Many Teams Compete in the NFL Football Playoffs?

Discover how many teams qualify for the NFL playoffs and how the teams from AFC and NFC are selected each season.

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The number of teams that compete in the football playoffs can vary depending on the league. For the NFL, 14 teams make it to the playoffs, following an expansion from 12 teams in 2020. This consists of seven teams from each of the two conferences, the AFC and NFC. Each conference sends four division winners and three wild card teams to the postseason.

FAQs & Answers

  1. How many teams make it to the NFL playoffs? As of 2020, 14 teams make it to the NFL playoffs, with seven teams qualifying from each conference, the AFC and NFC.
  2. How are NFL playoff teams selected? Each conference sends four division winners and three wild card teams to the NFL playoffs based on their regular season records.
  3. Has the number of NFL playoff teams changed recently? Yes, the NFL playoffs expanded from 12 to 14 teams starting with the 2020 season.

Watch More

If you're interested in football playoffs, be sure to also check out our detailed guides on NFL playoff seeding, wild card teams, and the history of playoff expansions for a deeper understanding of the postseason structure.

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