The NFL playoffs are back, and after one of the wildest regular seasons in recent memory, football fans are gearing up for a postseason packed with drama, comebacks, and fresh faces. The 2025-26 NFL playoffs officially kick off with Wild Card Weekend, starting Saturday, January 10, 2026, and the anticipation couldn’t be higher. With a mix of perennial contenders and several teams making their long-awaited returns, the next few weeks promise high-stakes action and no shortage of surprises.
This year’s playoff bracket features a healthy blend of old and new. The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos each clinched the coveted #1 seeds in their respective conferences, earning both a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The Seahawks finished the regular season with an impressive 14-3 record, matching the Broncos’ stellar performance in the AFC. That means both teams will enjoy a break during Wild Card Weekend, watching as the rest of the field battles for a shot at the divisional round.
Wild Card Weekend opens with a bang as the Los Angeles Rams travel to face the Carolina Panthers on Saturday, January 10, at 4:30 p.m. ET, televised on Fox. The Panthers are making their first postseason appearance since 2017, a remarkable turnaround for a franchise that struggled in recent years. Hosting the opening game, the Panthers will be eager to make a statement in front of their home crowd. Later that evening, the Chicago Bears, seeded second in the NFC, welcome the Green Bay Packers for an 8 p.m. ET showdown on Amazon Prime. The Bears finished 11-6, while the Packers snuck into the postseason with a 9-7-1 record, setting the stage for a classic NFC North rivalry under the playoff lights.
Sunday, January 11, brings another triple-header of playoff football. The Buffalo Bills, seeded sixth in the AFC with a 12-5 record, head south to take on the third-seeded Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4) at 1 p.m. ET on CBS. Later that afternoon, the San Francisco 49ers, who posted a strong 12-5 campaign, travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles, also 11-6, at 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox. The Eagles are in the playoffs for the fifth straight season and have their sights set on becoming the first NFC team in 31 years to repeat as Super Bowl champions. According to CBS Sports, "Jalen Hurts is one of just two quarterbacks in the playoffs this year who has won a Super Bowl, along with Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers." That experience could prove invaluable as the postseason pressure mounts.
The Sunday nightcap features the Los Angeles Chargers, who finished 11-6, taking on the New England Patriots, the AFC’s second seed at 14-3, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. The Patriots’ strong regular season has them poised for a deep run, but the Chargers have proven they can hang with the best. Monday Night Football adds even more intrigue, as the Houston Texans (12-5) visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC. The Steelers’ quarterback brings a wealth of playoff experience to the table—more career postseason wins than every other AFC playoff QB combined—a stat that could loom large in a high-pressure environment.
Several teams are making notable returns to the postseason. In total, six squads that missed the playoffs last year have punched their tickets this time around: the Seahawks, 49ers, Panthers, Bears, Patriots, and Jaguars. For the Panthers, it’s especially sweet, marking their first playoff appearance since 2017. The 49ers, Rams, and Patriots have all bounced back from disappointing campaigns, while the Jaguars are looking to build on recent momentum. According to the USA Today Network, "The final five teams in that group all lost at least 11 games last year before rebounding to make the postseason this year." That kind of turnaround is what makes the NFL’s playoff race so compelling.
Here’s a quick look at the full Wild Card Weekend schedule:
Saturday, January 10, 2026:
- (5) Los Angeles Rams at (4) Carolina Panthers, 4:30 p.m. ET (Fox)
- (7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Chicago Bears, 8 p.m. ET (Amazon Prime)
Sunday, January 11, 2026:
- (6) Buffalo Bills at (3) Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- (6) San Francisco 49ers at (3) Philadelphia Eagles, 4:30 p.m. ET (Fox)
- (7) Los Angeles Chargers at (2) New England Patriots, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)
Monday, January 12, 2026:
- (5) Houston Texans at (4) Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC)
After Wild Card Weekend, the NFL’s reseeding process ensures that the lowest-seeded remaining team in each conference will face the #1 seed in the divisional round. It’s a unique wrinkle that keeps postseason matchups fresh and rewards the top teams for their regular season dominance. As USA Today notes, "The NFL is the only American sports league of the four major sports that reseeds in the postseason." The divisional round unfolds on Saturday and Sunday, January 17 and 18, with two games each day, followed by Championship Sunday on January 25. The AFC Championship is set for 3 p.m. ET on CBS, while the NFC Championship will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox.
And then, of course, there’s the grand finale: Super Bowl LX. The biggest game in football will be played on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC. It’s a fitting stage for what’s shaping up to be an unforgettable postseason.
As for the odds, BetMGM lists the Seahawks as the current favorites at +425, followed closely by the Rams at +450. The Broncos and Eagles are both at +800, with the Patriots at +900. The Bills, Texans, Jaguars, and 49ers round out the main contenders, but as any seasoned fan knows, anything can happen once the playoffs begin.
With so many storylines in play—returning champions, surging underdogs, and the ever-present threat of upsets—this year’s NFL playoffs are set to deliver plenty of thrills. Will the Eagles defy the odds and repeat as NFC champs? Can the Seahawks or Broncos capitalize on their top seeds? Or will one of the teams making a surprise return to the postseason catch fire at just the right moment?
For now, all eyes are on Wild Card Weekend as the action gets underway. Fans can expect hard-hitting football, last-minute heroics, and the kind of unpredictable moments that define the NFL’s postseason legacy. As the road to Super Bowl LX begins, the only certainty is that the journey will be unforgettable.