which nfl teams are in playoffs
As of early January 2026, 13 of the 14 NFL playoff spots are locked in, with one final AFC North team still to be decided between the Ravens and Steelers depending on their Week 18 result.
Locked-in NFC playoff teams
These seven NFC teams are in the playoffs; only their exact paths may shift with seeding:
- Seattle Seahawks
- Chicago Bears
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Carolina Panthers
- San Francisco 49ers
- Los Angeles Rams
- Green Bay Packers
These matchups are currently set for Wild Card Weekend: Packers at Bears, 49ers at Eagles, Rams at Panthers, with the Seahawks holding the first-round bye.
Locked-in AFC playoff teams
Six AFC teams are definitely in, with one AFC North team (Ravens or Steelers) still to be finalized:
- Denver Broncos
- New England Patriots
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Houston Texans
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Buffalo Bills
The Broncos hold the 1 seed and bye, while the Patriots and Jaguars are the other division winners currently slotted 2 and 3.
The final AFC spot
- The AFC North title and the final playoff berth comes down to Ravens vs. Steelers.
- Winner takes the division and the 4 seed; the loser misses the postseason entirely.
Current wild-card matchups snapshot
If the playoffs started based on the latest published bracket:
- NFC:
- Packers (7) at Bears (2)
- 49ers (6) at Eagles (3)
- Rams (5) at Panthers (4)
- AFC:
- Chargers (7) at Patriots (2)
- Bills (6) at Jaguars (3)
- Texans (5) at Ravens/Steelers (4)
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.