Last updated: October 20, 2026 (through Week 6). Here is what the 2026 NFL playoff bracket would look like if the postseason started today. Both conferences send seven teams: the top four are division leaders, seeds 5 through 7 are wild cards, and the No. 1 seed gets a first-round bye. We refresh this every Monday and again Tuesday morning once Monday Night Football is in the books.
AFC Playoff Picture
| Seed | Team | Rec | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City Chiefs | 5-0 | First-round bye |
| 2 | Buffalo Bills | 5-1 | Division leader |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 4-2 | Division leader |
| 4 | Cleveland Browns | 4-2 | Division leader |
| 5 | New England Patriots | 4-2 | Wild card |
| 6 | Denver Broncos | 4-2 | Wild card |
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-2 | Wild card |
| 8 | Baltimore Ravens | 4-2 | In the hunt |
| 9 | Cincinnati Bengals | 3-2 | In the hunt |
AFC Wild Card Matchups
First-round bye: (1) Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)
NFC Playoff Picture
| Seed | Team | Rec | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota Vikings | 5-0 | First-round bye |
| 2 | San Francisco 49ers | 6-0 | Division leader |
| 3 | Carolina Panthers | 3-2 | Division leader |
| 4 | New York Giants | 3-2-1 | Division leader |
| 5 | Green Bay Packers | 4-2 | Wild card |
| 6 | Chicago Bears | 4-2 | Wild card |
| 7 | Detroit Lions | 3-2 | Wild card |
| 8 | Seattle Seahawks | 3-3 | In the hunt |
| 9 | Atlanta Falcons | 2-4 | In the hunt |
NFC Wild Card Matchups
First-round bye: (1) Minnesota Vikings (5-0)
Fill Out the Bracket Yourself
Want to print it and pencil in your own picks as the season plays out? Grab our blank printable NFL playoff bracket, or use the online bracket maker with its NFL preset to build and share a custom bracket in seconds.
How the NFL Playoff Format Works
Seven teams from each conference reach the playoffs: the four division winners are seeded 1 through 4 by record, and the three best non-division-winners are the wild cards at seeds 5 through 7. Only the No. 1 seed gets a bye through Wild Card Weekend. In the first round the No. 2 seed hosts No. 7, No. 3 hosts No. 6, and No. 4 hosts No. 5. The bracket reseeds after each round, so the top remaining seed always plays the lowest remaining seed. This early in the year the order is decided largely by tiebreakers, so expect plenty of movement week to week.
More 2026 NFL Resources
Track the races all season with the 2026 NFL standings and playoff picture, print the blank 2026-27 NFL playoff bracket, and build your own with the bracket maker.
