The 2026 NFL Playoffs get started on Saturday, January 10 with four teams kicking off the Wild Card round. The playoff field will feature 14 teams with 12 of them playing that first weekend and the No. 1 seed in each conference getting a bye to the Divisional Round. This year, the opening round features two games on Saturday, three games on Sunday, and one game on Monday.
Which teams have clinched 2025 NFL playoff berth
The NFL playoff picture is coming into focus. As the season winds through December and January, we’re highlighting each team that has clinched a spot in the 2025-26 NFL playoffs.
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Eight teams will face off in the Divisional round, with that weekend featuring two games on Saturday the 17th and two games on Sunday the 18th. The Conference Championship round follows with the final four teams facing off on Sunday the 25th. The final two teams square off in Santa Clara, California at Super Bowl 60 on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
The field is slowly filling up as teams punch their ticket for the 2026 NFL Playoffs. Below is each team that has clinched a playoff berth.
Denver Broncos
When clinched: Week 15
How they clinched: Win over Green Bay Packers (34-26) to improve to 12-2.
The Broncos have not won a lot of pretty games this season, but they keep on chugging along. Bo Nix has made plays when they’ve mattered most and the Broncos have emerged as arguably the best team in the AFC. They clinched their playoff berth with a comeback win over the Packers and moved a game up on the Patriots for the No. 1 seed. They remain two games up on the Chargers and can clinch the AFC West title and the No. 1 seed with a win and some help in Week 16.
Los Angeles Rams
When clinched: Week 15
How they clinched: Win over Detroit Lions (41-34) to improve to 11-3
Week 16 update: The Rams lost to the Seahawks in overtime on Thursday Night Football to drop to second place in the NFC West, pending the outcome of 49ers-Colts on Monday. LA is now 11-4.
The Rams are playing as well as anybody right now and are headed back to the playoffs. They fell behind by ten points against Detroit, but a big third quarter got them back and they controlled things in the fourth quarter. They are tied with the Seahawks atop the NFC West, but hold the tiebreaker edge for the time-being due to their first head-to-head win over Seattle back in Week 11. The two squads face off in Week 16 with first place in the division and the No. 1 seed in the NFC on the line.
Seattle Seahawks
When clinched: Week 16
How they clinched: Win over Seahawks (38-37) to improve to 12-3
The Seahawks won a wild overtime thriller over the Rams to clinch a playoff berth. More importantly than securing a playoff berth, the Seahawks moved into first place in the NFC West and took over the No. 1 seed in the conference. They’ve won five straight and close out the season one the road against the Panthers and 49ers. The division title will likely go down to the wire in Week 18.
Philadelphia Eagles
When clinched: Week 16
How they clinched: Win over Washington Commanders (29-18) to improve to 10-5.
The Eagles have struggled in recent weeks after a 4-0 start, but they are headed back to the playoffs. They rolled over the Commanders in the second half to clinch the NFC East title. It was their second straight win after losing three straight to the Cowboys, Bears, and Chargers. They will head into Week 17 sitting a game back of the Bears for the No. 2 seed and two back of the Seahawks for the No. 1 seed.
San Francisco 49ers
When clinched: Week 16
How they clinched: Detroit Lions loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (29-24)
The 49ers still have to play on Monday Night Football, but they got good news on Sunday with the Lions loss to the Steelers. San Francisco still has a chance at the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the conference, but they at least know they are officially headed back to the playoffs. They host the Bears in Week 17 and finish the season against at home against the Seahawks.
Chicago Bears
When clinched: Week 16
How they clinched: Win over Green Bay Packers (22-16) to improve to 11-4, coupled with the Detroit Lions losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers (29-24)
Chicago has bigger things in mind, but they at least know they’ll be playing in the postseason. The Bears win the Packers firmed up their lead in the NFC North, and they now have a division-clinching scenario in Week 17. The Bears travel to face the 49ers next week and close out the season at home against the Lions.
New England Patriots
When clinched: Week 16
How they clinched: Win over Baltimore Ravens (28-24) to improve to 12-3
The Patriots held off Derrick Henry and the Ravens to punch their ticket to the 2026 NFL Playoffs. They remain a game up on the Bills in the AFC East and can clinch the division title next week with a win and a Bills loss. They also moved into a tie with the Broncos for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Denver has the tiebreaker heading into Week 17 based on the common games tiebreaker.
Jacksonville Jaguars
When clinched: Week 16
How they clinched: Win over Denver Broncos (34-20) coupled with Colts loss to 49ers (48-27)
The Jaguars are headed back to the playoffs for the first time in three years. They clinched a wild card berth, but will be more focused on the division title. They head into week 17 with an 11-4 record and a one-game lead on the Texans for the division title. They sit in third place in the overall NFC standings and are a game back of the Patriots and Broncos for the top two seeds.
Buffalo Bills
When clinched: Week 16
How they clinched: Win over Cleveland Browns (23-20) coupled with Colts loss to 49ers (48-27)
The Bills punched their ticket, but the division title is still a possibility. The Patriots lost in Week 16, and the Bills win moved them to only a game back in the division. Buffalo is currently the sixth seed and is riding a four-game win streak as they head toward the playoffs.
Los Angeles Chargers
When clinched: Week 16
How they clinched: Win over Dallas Cowboys (34-17) coupled with Colts loss to 49ers (48-27)
The Chargers are headed back to the playoffs for a second straight season. They are guaranteed a spot, but still have a shot at the AFC West title. The Broncos loss in Week 16 allowed the Chargers to cut the division lead to one game with two weeks remaining. The Chargers and Broncos face off in Denver in Week 18, so if both teams win in Week 17, that game will be for the division title, and maybe the No. 1 seed.
Green Bay Packers
When clinched: Week 17
How they clinched: Detroit Lions loss to the Minnesota Vikings (23-10)
The Packers had two clinching scenarios, one if they won or tied their game against the Ravens on Saturday of Week 17, and one if the Lions lost or tied their game against the Vikings. Detroit ended up losing and Green Bay punched their ticket. The Packers are effectively two games back of the Bears in the NFC North, but they still have a chance at the division title if they can win out and the Bears lose out.
Houston Texans
When clinched: Week 17
How they clinched: Win over the Los Angeles Chargers (20-16)
The Texans are headed back to the playoffs for a third straight season. Their win over the Chargers clinched a wild card berth, but they remain alive in the AFC South race. They cannot be eliminated from division contention this week, but they need the Jaguars to lose one of their two remaining games to have a chance at the division title. If they don’t win the division, they have secured the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Chargers in the wild card standings.
Carolina Panthers
When clinched: Week 18
How they clinched: Atlanta Falcons win over the New Orleans Saints (19-17)
The NFC South gets ragged on due to the ineptitude of its teams, and 2025-26 was no different. The Panthers took home the division title in spite of losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday afternoon. The Bucs win meant the division title would be decided by the Falcons-Saints game on Sunday. A Saints win would have sent the Bucs to the playoffs as the division champ and No. 4 seed. However, the Falcons instead won, forcing a three-way tie atop the division. This gave the edge to Carolina due to their overall head-to-head record against Tampa Bay and Atlanta.
Pittsburgh Steelers
When clinched: Week 18
How they clinched: Win over the Baltimore Ravens (26-24)
The Steelers beat the Ravens in a winner-take-all showdown for the AFC North in a game that truly had it all. It seemed like Pittsburgh lost the game at the end, only to see Aaron Rodgers throw a decisive touchdown pass before Baltimore missed a makable game-winning field goal. It feels like a miracle that the Steelers won 10 games with 42-year-old Rodgers, but here we are.
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