Nfl Playoff Picture 2025 26 Bracket Clinching And Elimination

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 25, 2025, 8:52 PM

nfl playoff picture 2025 26 bracket clinching and elimination

The NFL playoff bracket will come into clearer focus after Week 17 of the regular season, with nearly every division .css-wrcrjw{margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.92rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__link__secondary__default-mainChannel);font-size:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;white-space:normal;}.css-3nqh9c{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:rgba(var(--br--palette-primary-mainChannel) / 0.4);margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima... The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks can claim even more. They sit atop the AFC and NFC West respectively, and they can not only clinch the division but also secure a bye to the divisional round with the right results going their way. After three straight last-place finishes, the Chicago Bears are one win away from taking the NFC North for the first time since 2018. The drought is even longer for the Carolina Panthers, who were last NFC South champions in 2015. Beating the Seattle Seahawks along with a loss or tie for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would assure them of a first-place.

Here's how the playoff picture looks in both conferences. Welcome to the NFL in 2025, which looks in some ways like it did roughly a decade ago. The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots are battling it out for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. But their path is complicated by a number of surging contenders, including the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Kansas City Chiefs, who dominated the conference for the past seven years, were officially eliminated from playoff contention for the first time in 11 years.

They also lost Patrick Mahomes for the remainder of the year due to a .css-wrcrjw{margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.92rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__link__secondary__default-mainChannel);font-size:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;white-space:normal;}.css-3nqh9c{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:rgba(var(--br--palette-primary-mainChannel) / 0.4);margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.92rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__link__secondary__default-mainChannel);font-size:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;white-space:normal;}.css-3nqh9c:hover{text-decoration-color:inherit;}.css-lu48cp{margin:0;font:inherit;color:var(--br--palette-primary-main);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:rgba(var(--br--palette-primary-mainChannel) / 0.4);margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima... Over in the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams appear to have separated themselves from everyone else. The Green Bay Packers looked like their primary challenger, but their defense will face an uphill battle after Micah Parsons tore his ACL. Here are the updated standings, as well as the clinching and elimination scenarios at stake going into Week 16. Week 16 delivered historic playoff drama across both conferences as ten teams clinched postseason berths. The Seahawks rallied from a 30-14 fourth quarter deficit to stun the Rams 38-37 in overtime on Thursday night and clinched a playoff berth while taking over the NFC’s No.

1 seed at 12-3. The Bears mounted a miraculous comeback to beat the Packers 22-16 in overtime on Saturday after recovering an onside kick and clinching a playoff berth at 11-4. The Broncos hold the AFC’s No. 1 seed at 12-3. The Patriots clinched at 12-3. The Jaguars clinched at 11-4 with their sixth straight victory.

Five AFC teams and five NFC teams have clinched playoff berths. Updated: After Monday Night Football, Week 16 (December 23, 2025), 2025 season Fourteen teams make the postseason with seven from each conference. The top seed gets a first round bye and home field advantage. The Broncos clinched a playoff berth and hold the AFC’s No. 1 seed at 12-3. The Patriots clinched at 12-3 and hold the No.

2 seed. The Jaguars clinched at 11-4 and hold the No. 3 seed. The Chargers and Bills both clinched at 11-4. The Seahawks clinched and hold the NFC’s No. 1 seed at 12-3.

With two weeks left in the NFL season, the playoff field is mostly set: Ten teams have clinched playoff berths and four more are still available. Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks heading into Week 17: 1. Broncos (12-3) If they win out, they’re the No. 1 seed in the AFC. 2.

Patriots (12-3) Would lose the common-games tiebreaker to the Broncos. 3. Jaguars (11-4) The clear favorites in the AFC South. 4. Steelers (9-6) In the driver’s seat in the AFC North. 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. 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. 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. How they clinched: Win over Green Bay Packers (34-26) to improve to 12-2. Updated: December 24, 2025 at 11:55 am EST

The 2025-26 NFL regular season kicked off on Thursday, September 4, 2025. The regular season will conclude after all Week 18 games are played on January 4, 2026. The 2026 NFL playoffs are scheduled to begin January 10 with Super Wildcard Weekend. The 2026 Super Bowl will be played Sunday, February 8, 2026. The image above – which will be updated after each game of the 2025-26 regular season – displays the NFL playoff bracket after Week 16. You’ll find much more NFL playoff information on this page, including playoff schedule, teams who clinched a playoff berth / have been eliminated from playoff contention, playoff clinching scenarios, and remaining schedules.

You can jump to a specific section using the links below: NFL Playoff Picture | NFL Playoff Dates & Schedule | Clinched Playoffs | Clinching Scenarios | Remaining Schedules | Eliminated | NFL Playoff FAQs The top seven teams from the AFC will make the playoffs. The 2025-26 AFC playoff picture looks a lot different than last year! The Broncos hold the #1 seed, but lost their full-game lead over the Patriots after losing to the Jaguars in Week 16. Denver is still #1 thanks to owning the tiebreaker.

🏈 5 AFC playoff spots available • 2 NFC playoff spots available 14 teams make the NFL playoffs each season – 7 from the AFC and 7 from the NFC. Each conference’s playoff bracket includes four division winners (seeded 1-4) and three wild card teams (seeded 5-7). The top seed in each conference earns a first-round bye. Playoff seeding is determined by win-loss record, with tiebreakers applied when necessary. The four division winners are seeded 1-4 based on their records, regardless of wild card team records.

Seeds 5-7 go to the three non-division winners with the best records. Tiebreakers include head-to-head results, division record, common games, conference record, and strength of victory. “In The Hunt” refers to the seven teams in each conference that currently hold playoff positions. If the regular season ended today, these teams would qualify for the postseason. However, with games remaining, these positions can change weekly based on game results and tiebreakers. “On The Bubble” describes teams currently outside the playoff picture but still mathematically alive for a postseason berth.

These teams (typically seeds 8-16) need to win games and have other results fall their way to climb into a playoff spot before the regular season ends. More than half of the NFL's 14 playoff spots were clinched in Week 16. Four spots in the NFC were clinched by the Seahawks, Eagles, Bears and 49ers. Over in the AFC, the Patriots clinched on Sunday night. Then, with the Colts' loss on Monday night, the Jaguars, Chargers and Bills all clinched a spot. The Broncos control their own destiny to clinch the No.

1 seed in the AFC, while the Seahawks and 49ers also do in the NFC. Here's where things stand after Week 16. In the hunt: Indianapolis Colts (8-7), Baltimore Ravens (7-8) We have the 2025-26 NFL Playoff picture, current standings, and projected seeds for you. Week 16 delivered massive drama: Eagles repeat as NFC East champs and eliminate Cowboys; Bears rally in OT to lead NFC North; Jaguars stun Broncos; Chargers secure key win; Panthers upset Bucs to take... Monday: 49ers crush Colts 48-27 behind Purdy’s 5 TD passes, improving to 11-4 and keeping NFC top-seed hopes alive.

Below is the updated playoff picture as of December 22, 2025 (post-Monday Night Football). Check the official NFL Playoff Picture for real-time updates. Download our free printable 2026 NFL playoff bracket and the NFL Christmas Schedule to track your predictions. Last updated: December 22, 2025 (after MNF). Stay tuned for Santa Updates. Week 16 delivered drama.

Nfl Playoff Picture 2025 26 Bracket Clinching And Elimination

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