Honestly, trying to track down exactly when are playoffs for nfl can feel like a part-time job if you don't live and breathe the schedule. It's not just a single date. It’s a whole month-long gauntlet of high-stakes football that basically shuts down most American living rooms from early January through the start of February.
If you're looking at the 2025-26 season—which is what we're in right now—the postseason officially kicked off on Saturday, January 10, 2026. But it doesn't just stop there. We’ve got four distinct rounds, and missing even a single window can mean missing the "game of the year."
The logic behind the dates is pretty straightforward once you see it. The NFL wants those prime-time weekend slots. They want you on your couch on Saturdays and Sundays. For the first round, they’ve even started taking over Monday nights. Here is how the rest of this postseason is going to shake out.
The 2026 Postseason Timeline
The Wild Card round is already behind us. We saw some wild finishes from January 10 to January 12, including that narrow Rams win over the Panthers and the Texans absolutely dominating in Pittsburgh.
Right now, we are staring down the Divisional Round. This is arguably the best weekend of football in the entire year because you've got the heavy hitters—the #1 seeds—finally entering the fray after their bye weeks.
Divisional Round: January 17–18, 2026 Saturday, Jan 17 featured the Denver Broncos taking out the Buffalo Bills in an overtime thriller, while the Seattle Seahawks reminded everyone why they earned the top seed by crushing San Francisco.
Sunday, Jan 18 is the big one today.
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- Houston Texans at New England Patriots: 3:00 PM ET (ABC/ESPN)
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears: 6:30 PM ET (NBC)
Conference Championships: Sunday, January 25, 2026 This is the "Final Four" of the NFL. Both the AFC and NFC will crown their champions on this day.
- AFC Championship: 3:00 PM ET on CBS. The Denver Broncos are already waiting for their opponent.
- NFC Championship: 6:30 PM ET on FOX. The Seattle Seahawks have secured home-field advantage here.
Super Bowl LX: Sunday, February 8, 2026 The big dance. It’s happening at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Kickoff is usually right around 6:30 PM ET on NBC.
Why the Schedule Shifts Every Year
You might notice the dates move a little bit every season. It's not just the league being fickle. Basically, the NFL expanded to a 17-game regular season a few years back, which pushed everything later into January.
It used to be that the Super Bowl was always the first Sunday in February. Now, because of that extra week of play, it often lands on the second Sunday. It’s kinda great for fans who want more football, but it’s definitely pushed the "winter" sport deeper into the territory where we start thinking about spring training.
Another thing: the league is obsessed with "Super Wild Card Weekend." Instead of just Saturday and Sunday games, they’ve added that Monday night game to the first round. This ensures they own the entire sports conversation for three straight days. If you’re planning a watch party, always check if your team is the one stuck in that Monday slot—it’s a short week for the winner, which coaches absolutely hate.
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The Impact of Seeding on Dates
When you're asking when are playoffs for nfl, the "when" depends heavily on "who."
The #1 seeds—this year the Broncos and the Seahawks—get the "bye." They don't play the first week. For those teams, their playoffs don't start until the Divisional Round. This is a massive advantage. Not only do they get a week of rest, but they also get to play every single game leading up to the Super Bowl in their home stadium.
If you're a #7 seed, like the Chargers or Packers were this year, your road is much harder. You play immediately, you play on the road, and you have to win three straight games just to see the Super Bowl. As we saw last weekend, both of those #7 seeds were sent packing early.
Where to Watch the 2026 Games
The broadcasting rights are a bit of a maze. The NFL spreads the love (and the money) across almost every major network.
- CBS and Paramount+ generally handle the AFC games.
- FOX is the home for the NFC.
- NBC and Peacock have the rights to Super Bowl LX this year.
- ESPN/ABC usually takes one or two of the early-round games.
- Amazon Prime Video even got in on the action this year with a Wild Card game.
If you’re a cord-cutter, you basically need a combination of Peacock, Paramount+, and maybe a live TV streamer like YouTube TV or Fubo to catch every single snap without a headache.
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Real Talk: The Risks of the Late Schedule
One thing nobody really talks about enough is the "frozen tundra" factor. Because the playoffs are happening later in January than they used to, the weather in places like Chicago or Foxborough can be absolutely brutal.
We saw it in the Bears-Packers game on Jan 10. When it's that cold, the ball feels like a brick. Kickers start missing "easy" 30-yarders. It changes the game from a track meet into a war of attrition. Teams built for warm weather or domes (looking at you, Rams) often struggle when they have to travel to a place where the wind chill is sub-zero.
Actionable Steps for the Rest of the Season
If you want to stay on top of the schedule without getting buried in tabs, here is how you should handle the rest of the 2026 postseason:
- Clear your Sundays: The next two Sundays (Jan 18 and Jan 25) are the "meat" of the postseason. Block out 3 PM to 10 PM ET if you want to see the full story unfold.
- Download the Apps: If you aren't near a TV, make sure your Paramount+ and Peacock logins are active. These games are being streamed live, but you don't want to be resetting your password five minutes before kickoff.
- Monitor the Injury Reports: In the Divisional round, the teams coming off a bye (Seahawks/Broncos) are usually much healthier. Keep an eye on the "Active/Inactive" lists that come out 90 minutes before the 3:00 PM games.
- Prep for Feb 8: Since the Super Bowl is in Santa Clara, the local time will be 3:30 PM PT. If you’re on the East Coast, it’s a late night. Plan your Monday morning accordingly.
The road to Levi's Stadium is narrow, and by the time you finish reading this, we might already have our next set of winners. Stick to the Sunday windows, and you won't miss the moment a new champion is crowned.