NFL playoff expansion under proposed CBA surprising, 17-game schedule still a hiccup

The new proposed NFL CBA would expand the playoffs to 14 teams and change the format, which comes as quite a surprise, though there are some hiccups still.

With hopes of getting a new NFL collective bargaining agreement (CBA) done this offseason before it expires after the 2020 season, there was always going to be talk of changes between the owners and players that could be made. One that wasn’t expected but now seems likely to happen, however, is expanding the NFL Playoffs.

According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday night, the latest CBA proposal would expand the playoff field from 12 to 14 teams with seven teams from both the AFC and NFC making it to the postseason. Under the proposed new format, only the No. 1 seed in each conference would get a first-round bye in the playoffs, meaning six teams would be playing on Wild Card Weekend.

The most intriguing part of Schefter’s report, however, is that there seems to be relatively universal agreement about this part of the proposed CBA between NFL owners and players. Thus, this seems something very likely to happen and, if the new deal is ratified before the start of the new league year on March 18, the playoff changes would take place starting in the 2020 season.

More from NFL Spin Zone

• Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
• Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
• Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
• Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
• Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens

Looking back at last year through the lens of these potential postseason changes, the Los Angeles Rams would’ve been the No. 7 seed in the NFC while the Pittsburgh Steelers would’ve earned that nod in the AFC. They would’ve played the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively, in the Wild Card Round.

There’s very little question that the proposed changes would bring a great deal of excitement both to Wild Card Weekend and to the final weeks of the regular season. We saw the race in the AFC come down to the final week this past year and that would only be more heated if another playoff spot was on the line. Furthermore, playing for just one bye would make things more tightly contested at the top of the postseason standings as well.

Even with that, these reported changes still come as a surprise. There are very few people that have been crying out that the current NFL Playoffs format is broken, so that they’re looking to alter it is somewhat shocking.

But money is king and having two extra games on Wild Card Weekend means more money for the league. Furthermore, players on the team who get the top seed in each conference would reportedly receive postseason pay for that week under this proposed new CBA, something not currently in place under the current agreement. With the money involved, it becomes clearer why all sides are in on this agreement.

The hiccup in this new proposed CBA in its current form being ratified, from the players’ side specifically, is that it includes also expanding the regular season to 17 games. While the preseason would be shortened to just three games, many players have already been vocal about the physical toll the 16-game schedule already takes on them. And, even though the players would receive a higher revenue share under the new CBA, the growing concern of player safety would still be in question if they expanded the regular season.

While that may lead to this version of a new CBA not being agreed upon, it does seem that the changes to the playoff format are something that will likely not be dismissed in any revisions. And though it may take some more getting used to, few fans are going to argue with getting more NFL Playoffs in their lives when the postseason rolls around.