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The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/Fallen_Goose_ on 2025-04-06 23:38:42+00:00.
Preface: It’s the off-season and there’s not a lot to talk about. I should also add that I don’t have a problem with the current playoff format. I just thought this would be an interesting off-season discussion point to keep us distracted.
It is well-known that the NFL wants to add an additional regular season game. It seems not to be a matter of ‘if’ but a matter of ‘when’. This would result in 18 regular season games and 2 bye weeks. However, what if this extra game was added into the playoffs instead? This is where the Australian Football League (AFL) Final Eight System comes into play. I’m sure most people are not familiar with it so see below for details and an example of how last season would have played out, but it essentially results in:
- 8 teams per conference get into the playoffs
- Two teams per conference get a bye week
- Conference playoffs are a week longer
The AFL Bracket
The AFL Bracket is a sort of hybrid elimination playoff format (see below for visual). Playoffs Week 1 (Hybrid Round) is the added week that sees the 1-4 seeds play each other, and the 5-8 seeds play each other. Seeds 1-4 are on double elimination for the first round, while seed 5-8 are on single elimination the whole way. The Divisional Round on would be exactly the same as we know it today.
With this, seeds 1-4 would still be determined by division winners most likely. It makes winning your division even more important since the difference between getting seeded 4th and 5th is big. Seeds 5-8 would still be determined by the existing NFL rules.
Note that the winners of the wild card round switch sides of the bracket. This is to prevent a possible rematch in the divisional round.
Pros:
- We get the extra week of matches that the NFL is going to inevitably add.
- With the addition of an extra team for each conference playoff, it allows teams a little more leeway during the regular season to still make the playoffs (e.g. the Bengals and Seahawks would have made the 2024-25 playoffs under this format)
- In theory, this format is a better “playoff gauntlet” that hopefully results in the best teams making it out
- Playoffs start off with great match ups with the 1-4 seeds. The 4 winners get byes for the following week. The 4 losers must continue on to the Wild Card Round.
- It creates interesting story lines with possible rematches in the conference championship game.
Cons:
- The greatest downfall is that this is a confusing playoff bracket. The NFL wants simple content that fans can easily digest, especially the casual fans. This format is not straightforward and would take fans a while to get accustomed to.
- It takes 3-4 games to reach the Super Bowl (currently takes 2-3 games). Player injuries and recovery is already a big concern for players. A solution I would propose would be to add a bye week after the end of the regular season. This would give the playoff teams a week of rest after the long 17-game regular season.
- The current NFL playoff format of 7 teams getting in creates lopsided matches where the #2 seed beats the #7 seed, usually pretty handily. Adding another team in the AFL playoff won’t make this any better. Yes this kinda contradicts one of my pros from above. However, this #2 vs #7 round 1 match up does not happen in the AFL format. #7 plays #6 and #5 plays #8. Two of those teams get eliminated and it’s a 6-team playoff from there.
- People do not like double elimination in the NFL. This isn’t an AFL bracket issue but a “resistance-to-change” issue that fans have. Anyway, the AFL bracket is only double elim for two matches and the rest is single elim. Not that big of a deal.
How the 2024-2025 playoffs would have happened under the AFL format:
