Lions withdrew proposal on Wednesday after failing to get traction around the league
The Los Angeles Rams benefited from the NFL’s current playoff format when it hosted the Vikings in January. L.A. won four fewer games than Minnesota, yet hosted its wild card matchup by winning the NFC West. The current playoff seeding is deeply flawed, and changes to the format must be revisited in 2026.
Earlier this offseason, Detroit proposed that teams with the best regular season records would receive higher seeds in the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Lions withdrew the proposal on Wednesday before league owners could discuss it. There was not enough traction around the NFL to garner the 24 votes it would need to pass.
Currently, division winners get the top four seeds in their respective conference, while the remaining three wild card teams are seeded based on record. The Vikings went 14-3 last season—the most wins ever by a wild card team—and were forced to hit the road and play the 10-7 Rams. Los Angeles won the matchup 27-9.
According to the Lions’ proposal, the Rams would have been seeded seventh in the NFC instead of fourth. That would mean in the Divisional Round, L.A. would’ve gone to Detroit while the Commanders would play the Eagles.
Detroit Lions withdraw NFL playoff reseeding proposal due to insufficient support. The plan would have reseeded teams after the wild-card round by regular-season record.
Example (2024): Lions (15-2, No. 1 seed) face Rams (10-7, worst record); Eagles (14-3, No. 2 seed) face… pic.twitter.com/H9Fnr71Yun
— Free Stream Media (@freestreamedia) May 21, 2025
Seeding teams based on record makes the most sense. Yes, winning a division title should mean something and guarantee an automatic playoff spot, but some division winners aren’t ready for primetime. For example, Washington went 7-9 in 2020 after winning the putrid NFC East and hosted the Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round.
There is no way a team like that should’ve ever hosted a playoff game. Of course, “division purists” like Steelers coach Mike Tomlin will get in the way of real change to the format.
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin was asked about the proposal seed playoffs based solely off record: “I’m a division purist. I love the rivalries that is division play. I love the structure of our scheduling that highlights it. I think the division winners should get a home playoff game.”
— Dale Lolley (@dlolley_pgh) March 31, 2025
Tomlin is obviously against any proposed changes because he knows his crappy teams would be seeded dead last almost every time.
Changing anything significant, like playoff seeding, is understandably a tricky process. It’s something that coaches, players and fans have gotten used to. These changes must be considered to ensure greater competition in the season’s final weeks.
Instead of debating the legality of the Tush Push, owners and the league should focus on issues more deserving of their attention.
