This is how the NFL’s proposed expanded playoff format would work
The Chiefs’ regular-season finale was thrilling for fans in Kansas City partly because of what happened in Massachusetts.
Seemingly locked into the third seed in the AFC playoff field, the Chiefs beat the Chargers and saw the Dolphins upset the Patriots on the road.
Kevin Harlan called both games at once and Arrowhead Stadium erupted in joy because as the Chiefs jumped New England and got the No. 2 seed and a bye in the playoffs.
That wouldn’t have been nearly as exciting had the NFL’s expanded playoff format already been in place. And that change to the postseason is likely coming in the 2020 season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Under the new format, 14 teams will make the playoff field, seven in each conference. One extra team would make the playoffs in the AFC and NFC, and just one team in each conference would have a bye.
That means the Chiefs and Packers would have lost their bye week in this past season’s playoffs. This is how the playoff field would have looked last month with the Chiefs playing in the Wild Card round:
AFC
(7) Steelers at (2) Chiefs
(6) Titans at (3) Patriots
(5) Bills at (4) Texans
(1) Ravens: bye
NFC
(7) Rams at (2) Packers
(6) Vikings at (3) Saints
(5) Seahawks at (4) Eagles
(1) 49ers: bye
The change will mean six games in the opening playoff weekend, and the Washington Post reported that one postseason contest might be played on Monday night.
NFL.com reported owners are going to meet Thursday in New York “to discuss the status of labor negotiations with the NFL Players Association (and) ... players will discuss the owners’ proposal via conference call on Friday.”
The talks will include, among other things, the expanded playoff format and a 17-game regular season, which NFL.com said likely would come in 2022.
An expanded playoff format has been discussed for more than 15 years. Patriots owner Robert Kraft suggested a 14-team postseason in 2003 and late Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt pushed for a 16-team playoff field.
“From a competitive standpoint, I can make a very strong case that the bye week is unfair,” Hunt told ESPN at the time. “By and large, from the physical nature of this sport, the bye week is contrary to the idea that we try to sell that all teams have a fair chance. I will tell you in advance that I would favor having 16 teams in the playoffs so nobody has a bye. It’s a tremendous advantage having a bye.”
It appears that advantage will be given to just two teams starting next season.
This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 8:54 AM.
