NFL Playoffs 2026: All Teams Set as Wild Card Weekend Approaches

The Road to Super Bowl LX Begins

The NFL playoffs are finally here, marking the culmination of one of the most unpredictable regular seasons in recent memory. After one of the wildest seasons in NFL history, the playoffs are finally here, and this year’s postseason won’t have Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The absence of Kansas City, which missed the playoffs for the first time in 11 years, has opened the door for new contenders to claim the championship.

Dramatic Final Day Determines Playoff Field

The Pittsburgh Steelers held on to beat the Baltimore Ravens 26-24 after Baltimore missed a field goal on the game’s final play, which gave the Steelers the AFC North crown and the final playoff spot. Meanwhile, in the NFC, the Falcons’ 19-17 win created a three-way tie of 8-9 teams atop the division, giving the tiebreaker and the playoff berth to the Panthers. The Jacksonville Jaguars also wrapped up the AFC South title with a rout of the Tennessee Titans.

Wild Card Weekend Schedule

The NFL playoffs will begin Saturday, Jan. 10 with the first two wild-card round games, and wild-card weekend will feature games on Jan. 10, 11 and 12. The opening round begins with the NFC’s fourth-seeded Carolina Panthers hosting the No. 5 Los Angeles Rams on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX. The six-game slate continues through Monday night.

What This Means for Football Fans

With the top seed in each conference getting a bye to the Divisional Round, the Seattle Seahawks secured the top seed in the NFC, and the Broncos clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Eagles are in the playoffs for the fifth straight season and they’ll be looking to become the first NFC team in 31 years to repeat as Super Bowl champion. Super Bowl LX will be played Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, where a new champion will be crowned in what promises to be one of the most competitive postseasons in years.