NFL Playoff Bracket FTR.jpg?itok=_KjO-DKw)
The regular season is over, and honestly, the real chaos is just getting started. If you've been glued to the TV since September, you know this year has been a total rollercoaster. But the question on everyone’s mind right now is simple: when do the nfl playoffs start? For the 2025-26 season, the postseason officially kicks off on Saturday, January 10, 2026.
We’re heading into Super Wild Card Weekend, which has basically become a three-day national holiday for football fans. It’s not just a Saturday-Sunday thing anymore. The NFL has stretched it out through Monday night to maximize the drama (and the ad revenue, let’s be real).
The Wild Card Weekend Breakdown
Everything starts in Charlotte this year. The No. 4 seed Carolina Panthers are set to host the No. 5 Los Angeles Rams at 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX. It’s a massive game for the Panthers, who finally looked like a complete team down the stretch. But don’t count out the Rams; that offense can put up points in a hurry when they’re clicking.
🔗 Read more: Knicks Pacers Eastern Conference Finals: What Really Happened with the 2025 Rematch
Later that same night, we get a classic NFC North slugfest. The No. 7 Green Bay Packers are headed to Soldier Field to take on the No. 2 Chicago Bears at 8:15 p.m. ET. This one is exclusive to Prime Video, so make sure your login actually works before kickoff. Watching a playoff game in Chicago in mid-January is basically the definition of "football weather."
Sunday is the heavy lifter with three games on the slate.
- 1:00 p.m. ET: Buffalo Bills (6) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3) on CBS.
- 4:30 p.m. ET: San Francisco 49ers (6) at Philadelphia Eagles (3) on FOX.
- 8:00 p.m. ET: Los Angeles Chargers (7) at New England Patriots (2) on NBC.
The weekend wraps up with the Monday Night Wild Card game. The Houston Texans visit the Pittsburgh Steelers at 8:00 p.m. ET. It'll be on ESPN and ABC, and yes, the ManningCast will be live on ESPN2 if you prefer Peyton and Eli’s banter over the standard broadcast.
Why the Start Date Matters So Much
The timing of the playoffs is a science. Teams that clinch early, like the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks this year, get that coveted first-round bye. They don't have to worry about the January 10 start date; they’re looking ahead to the Divisional Round on January 17-18.
But for everyone else, that first weekend is a meat grinder.
Historically, the NFL has moved the start date around to accommodate the 17-game schedule. Since the league added that extra week of regular-season play, the playoffs have pushed deeper into January. It’s a grueling shift. You’ve got players who have been hitting each other for five months straight, and now they have to find another gear for a winner-take-all scenario.
✨ Don't miss: Rory McIlroy Schedule 2025: Why This "Slimmed Down" Year Changed Everything
The Path to Super Bowl LX
Once we survive the Wild Card round, the winners move on to the Divisional Playoffs. Those games happen on Saturday, Jan. 17 and Sunday, Jan. 18.
The stakes only get higher from there. The AFC and NFC Championship Games are scheduled for Sunday, January 25. By the time the sun sets that evening, we’ll finally know which two teams are heading to Santa Clara.
Super Bowl LX is scheduled for February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium. It’s the second time the 49ers' home turf has hosted the big game, and the league is going all out. Bad Bunny is already confirmed for the halftime show, which is a pretty huge deal for the global audience.
Misconceptions About the Playoff Format
A lot of people still get confused about how the seeding works now that 14 teams make the cut. It's not like the old days where the top two teams in each conference got a week off. Now, only the No. 1 seeds—the Broncos and the Seahawks this year—get to sit out and watch the Wild Card games from their couches.
Everyone else? They’re playing.
Home-field advantage is determined strictly by seeding. The higher seed always hosts. This is why Week 18 was such a disaster for teams that rested their starters and lost their positioning. Losing a home game in the playoffs is basically a death sentence for most rosters, especially when you have to travel to places like Foxborough or Chicago in the dead of winter.
💡 You might also like: ¿Quién ganó México o Estados Unidos? La realidad detrás del último Clásico de la CONCACAF
What to Watch For This Postseason
Honestly, keep an eye on the Buffalo Bills. They’re the No. 6 seed, but they’ve been playing like a top-three team for the last month. Their matchup against Jacksonville on Sunday is going to be much closer than the seeds suggest.
Also, look at the coaching matchups. We’ve seen some young coordinators really step up this season. The tactical battle between the Rams' staff and the Panthers' defense is going to be a chess match.
If you're planning a watch party, here’s the quick list of where to find the games:
- FOX/FOX Deportes: Panthers vs. Rams & 49ers vs. Eagles
- Prime Video: Packers vs. Bears
- CBS/Paramount+: Bills vs. Jaguars
- NBC/Peacock: Chargers vs. Patriots
- ESPN/ABC: Texans vs. Steelers
Key Dates for Your Calendar
- Wild Card Weekend: January 10–12, 2026
- Divisional Round: January 17–18, 2026
- Conference Championships: January 25, 2026
- Pro Bowl Games: February 3, 2026 (San Francisco)
- Super Bowl LX: February 8, 2026
The road to the Lombardi Trophy is narrow. One bad snap, one missed tackle, or one questionable penalty can end a season in a heartbeat. That’s the beauty of it.
Make sure your streaming apps are updated and your snacks are prepped. The 2026 NFL playoffs are about to be legendary.
If you want to track the live bracket as the games unfold, your best bet is to bookmark the official NFL.com playoff hub or keep an eye on the FOX Sports bracket tracker. They usually update within minutes of the final whistle.
Get your bets in early, check the injury reports one last time, and enjoy the ride.
Next Steps:
- Check the local weather forecasts for Chicago and Pittsburgh if you're planning on attending in person; temperatures are expected to be near freezing.
- Verify your streaming subscriptions for Prime Video and Peacock, as two of the Wild Card games are exclusive to those platforms.
- Download the NFL+ app if you need to watch the games on your mobile device while on the go.