NFL Playoff Expansion Reportedly Not Likely to Be Implemented for 2015 Season

The idea of expanding the NFL playoff field from 12 to 14 teams is reportedly losing steam and likely won't be implemented this year.

Continue for updates.

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Expanded Playoffs Reportedly Will Not Happen Next Season

Thursday, March 12

Expanded playoffs appear to be a "no-go" in 2015 according to The Washington Post's Mark Maske.

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NFL Appears Unlikely to Expand Playoffs in 2015

Wednesday, Feb. 18

Sources informed Maske of the latest information on the potential change to the postseason. The following quote echoed the general thoughts of three other people in the loop regarding the prospective playoff expansion, according to Maske.

"I'd say at this point it's 50-50 at best," said one source. "I think it's gonna happen eventually, just maybe not for next season. It seems to have lost momentum. It still could be revived for the March [owners'] meeting. But at the moment it doesn’t look good for next season."

One of the three others with knowledge of the situation alluded to the new Thursday night TV deal with CBS that was agreed upon before 2014 and then extended.

"People didn't want to have the Thursday night package and expanded playoffs start the same season," said the source. "So it looked like next season [2015] would be good [for the expanded playoffs to begin]. But now we've only done a one-year extension with CBS, so it’s kind of the same thing."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated last May at the spring meeting that he expected the playoff expansion to be implemented by 2015. The latest developments in Maske's report suggest that won't be the case. And as is present in the report, Goodell sounded less enthused about the concept prior to Super Bowl XLIX.

At least 24 of the 32 NFL owners have to approve the playoff expansion policy for the rule to officially change.

Legitimate arguments can be made for both sides of the debate on adding NFL playoff participants. It could water down competition to a degree. The one-game elimination format and the parity that strikes the NFL could mitigate the importance of the regular season.

On the other hand, it would also generate more revenue for the league and give players even more motivation to fulfill financial incentives that the postseason promises.

Based on the monetary upside extra playoff games promise for all parties involved and the testimony from Maske's report, NFL playoff expansion appears to be inevitable. Although 2015 figures to keep the current format intact, it wouldn't be a surprise to see change within the next two years.