The NFL is considering a proposal to the new collective bargaining agreement that would provide for a seventh playoff team per conference, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
As a result, only the No. 1 seed per conference would secure a first-round bye; no longer would the No. 2 seeds in the AFC and NFC get byes.
NFL playoff structure is about to be changed. Under the current CBA proposal, seven teams from each conference will make the playoffs, with only bye per conference, sources tell ESPN. It would go into effect this upcoming season. More coming on https://t.co/rDZaVFhcDQ.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 19, 2020
The new playoff format would commence during the 2020 season.
More details: Under the current CBA proposal that NFL owners are pushing for, the playoff field would be expanded to seven teams, while the regular season would be increased to 17 games per team, and the preseason shortened to three games per team, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 19, 2020
As a result of the NFL and the NFLPA agreeing in the CBA to expand the playoff format to include a seventh team per conference, it would also open up the viability of extending the NFL regular season from 16 games to 17.
