The NFL is exploring potential changes to its playoff format for next season
Minneapolis: So, the NFL is thinking about shaking things up a bit with its playoff format. They might take a page from college football’s playbook and make some changes for next season.
According to a CBS Sports report, the league is looking into how home field advantage works in the playoffs. They’re considering giving the top four teams home games based on their winning percentage, which could be a big shift.
Right now, division winners automatically get home games, no matter what their records are. This has led to some head-scratchers, like the Vikings, who had a solid 14-3 record but are playing their first playoff game on the road.
They finished just behind the 15-2 Lions, who took the NFC North title after beating Minnesota in Week 18. Instead of a top seed and a bye, the Vikings are heading to Arizona to face the Rams on Monday night.
Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown even suggested a format change before their big win. He pointed out how odd it is for a 14-win team to have to play away in the playoffs. “I guess I don’t make the rules,” he said.
Originally, the game was supposed to be in Los Angeles, but they had to move it due to wildfires. It’s worth noting that the NFL already expanded its postseason from 12 to 14 teams back in 2020, which changed how byes and wild-card games worked.
