The Detroit Lions have officially withdrawn their proposal to modify the NFL playoff seeding format, just hours before league owners were set to vote on the measure during Wednesday’s spring meetings.
Current Playoff Format Stays Intact — For Now
The NFL currently features a 14-team playoff structure in which each conference's four division champions are granted the top four seeds, along with home-field advantage in the opening round. The three remaining postseason spots are awarded to wild card teams with the best records, regardless of division.
What the Lions Proposed
The Lions’ proposal aimed to adjust the seeding process by ranking teams strictly by regular-season record after the No. 1 overall seed — which would still go to the division winner with the league’s best record and first-round bye. This would have opened the door for higher-performing wild card teams to be seeded above division champions with inferior records.
- Under the proposal:
- The top seed would still be the division winner with the best overall record.
- Seeds 2 through 7 would be determined solely by win-loss records.
- The top three seeds would host Wild Card Round games.
- Higher seeds would retain home-field advantage in the Divisional Round.
Such a change would have been a significant shift from tradition, potentially eliminating scenarios where division winners with worse records host playoff games over stronger wild card teams.
Owners Still Reviewing Other Rule Changes
Although the seeding proposal was shelved, NFL owners are still evaluating a number of other potential rule changes during this week’s meetings. Among the items under discussion:
- Adjustments to the "Tush Push" quarterback sneak, made famous by the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Revisions to kickoff and onside kick procedures.
- Possible changes to free kick formations.
- Enhancements to special teams safety and strategy.
On Tuesday, owners approved a motion to allow NFL players to compete in flag football at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
