Big playoff changes could come as NFL owners meet in Minnesota next week

The teams with the seven best records would make the playoffs, and a division title wouldn't guarantee a top-four seed and a home game in the first round.

Jan 22, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; A general overall view of the AFC Divisional playoff logo at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFL owners are meeting in Eagan, Minnesota next week and on the agenda is a vote that could change the scope of the NFL playoffs for years to come.

While at Minnesota Vikings headquarters — TCO Performance Center — Tuesday and Wednesday next week, owners will vote on a playoff seeding proposal from the Detroit Lions. If approved, the proposal would see four division winners and three wild-card teams make the playoffs in each conference, but all seven would be seeded by record.

Under the current format, which has stood since the NFL-AFL merger in 1966, division winners are awarded the top seeds, with the wild-card spots going to non-division winners with the best records.

Had such a format been in place last season, the Minnesota Vikings, who went 14-3, would've been the No. 3 seed rather than the No. 5 seed. They would've hosted a first-round game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Instead, they had to go on the road and they were obliterated by the Los Angeles Rams, who snuck into the playoffs by winning the NFC West with a 10-7 record.

Take a look at how last season's playoff seeds would've differed under the new proposal.

Actual playoff seeds	Under the proposal
1. Detroit Lions (15-2)	1. Detroit Lions (15-2)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)	2. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)	3. Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
4. Los Angeles Rams (10-7)	4. Washington Commanders (12-5)
5. Minnesota Vikings (14-3)	5. Green Bay Packers (11-6)
6. Washington Commanders (12-5)	6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
7. Green Bay Packers (11-6)	7. Los Angeles Rams (10-7)

Division titles will still matter as the proposal would give the tiebreaker to a division winner, even before head-to-head games are taken into account.

Additionally, teams would be re-seeded after the first round.

Owners will also be voting on the legality of "tush push" and whether to approve NFL players participating in flag football at the 2028 Olympics.

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