NFL set to increase number of play-off spots by two and expand regular season in groundbreaking new reforms
- The new reforms would increase the play-off teams from 12 to 14 for 2020
- That would mean six wildcard games, with only two franchises receiving a bye
- A proposal for 2021 would see the number of regular season games go up to 17
- Pre-season would therefore be shortened by four to three games to compensate
The NFL is set to make a groundbreaking change to their format next season, with the addition of two teams to the play-offs from 12 to 14.
The move would mean only the top seed from each conference – AFC and NFC – would receive a post-season first-round bye and subsequently, there would be six games during the wildcard weekend instead of four.
As part of the new proposals, the regular season would also be increased by a game to 17 matches, with pre-season being shortened from four to three games.
The new NFL reforms would see the number of play-off teams increased from 12 to 14
The Kansas City Chiefs would not have received a first-round bye this season with the reforms
Last season, the Los Angeles Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers would have benefited from the two extra spots in the play-offs, while the eventual NFL champions Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers would have played in wildcard weekend as opposed to having a week off.
The report from ESPN details that the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) proposal for an increase in play-off teams is supported by NFL owners, and would take effect for the 2020 season, while the expansion of the regular season would be implemented a year later for the 2021 campaign.
Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams would have benefited from the extra play-off spot
A source close to the CBA said of the new playoff structure: ‘That’s been agreed to for a long time. There wasn’t a lot of disagreement to that issue.
‘The new CBA’s not done, there’s no term sheet yet, there still are issues being negotiated, but I’d be very surprised if there’s not a new CBA for the new league year.’