NFL Playoffs 2026 Overtime Rules, Bracket and Postseason Format

The NFL Playoffs kick off Saturday with the Carolina Panthers hosting the Los Angeles Rams in the first of six Wild Card round games.

The defending Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, take to the field Sunday while the Pittsburgh Steelers begin their road to a record-breaking eighth Super Bowl title on Monday night to cap things off.

Ahead of one of the most unpredictable weekends in sports, dive deep into the postseason format, the bracket entering the first round of competition, and the rules for overtime in this preview.

Playoff Overtime Rules

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Unlike the league's regular season games, playoff games cannot end in a tie. As a result, match-ups ending in a tie after regulation will go to as many 15-minute overtime periods as necessary to determine a winner.

Both teams receive one possession, regardless of whether the initial receiving team scores.

If that initial team does not score, or if both teams have already possessed the ball, the next team to score wins the game.

If the first team to possess the ball commits a safety, the kickoff team wins the game.

Unlike the first four quarters of the game, coaches cannot challenge plays. All reviews come from the replay official.

There is an interval of no longer than three minutes between the end of regulation and the start of the first overtime. There is a two minute intermission from there and, different from regulation time, there is no halftime after the second overtime period.

A second coin-toss to determine possession will occur after a fourth overtime period.

NFC Playoff Bracket

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Division Winners

1. Seattle Seahawks (14-3, NFC West)

2. Chicago Bears (12-5, NFC North)

3. Philadelphia Eagles (12-5, NFC East)

4. Carolina Panthers (8-9, NFC South)

Wild Card Teams

5. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)

6. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)

7. Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)

AFC Bracket

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Division Winners

1. Denver Broncos (13-4, AFC West)

2. New England Patriots (13-4, AFC East)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-5, AFC South)

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8, AFC North)

Wild Card Teams

5. Houston Texans (12-5)

6. Buffalo Bills (12-5)

7. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)

Wild Card Round Schedule and Bracket Formatting

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Saturday, December 10

5 Los Angeles Rams at 4 Carolina Panthers (4:30 p.m., FOX)

7 Green Bay Packers at 2 Chicago Bears (8:00 p.m., Prime Video)

Sunday, December 11

6 Buffalo Bills at 3 Jacksonville Jaguars (1:00 p.m., CBS/Paramount+)

6 San Francisco 49ers at 3 Philadelphia Eagles (4:30 p.m., FOX)

7 Los Angeles Chargers at 2 New England Patriots (8:00 p.m., NBC/Peacock)

Monday, December 12

5 Houston Texans at 4 Pittsburgh Steelers (8:15 p.m., ESPN/ABC)

In the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs, the No. 1 overall seed will host the lowest remaining seed. In the championship round, the highest remaining seed will host the lowest remaining seed.

The home team in the Super Bowl is not determined by wins or losses, nor is it determined by seeding. Instead, the AFC is the home team in the even-numbered Super Bowl games while the NFC is the home team in the odd-numbered games.

This year is Super Bowl XL, which means the AFC winner will be the designated "host."