League source: "Expanding playoffs to 14 teams WILL happen"

oldrover · Mar 24, 2014

Quote from Don Banks at SI:

One change the league will be making, albeit not at these owners meetings? The move to expand the playoff field to 14 teams, from its current format of 12, is seen as a fait accompli, even by some long-time opponents to playoff expansion. The league will discuss the idea here, but it's not thought to be ready to implement until the 2015 season.

"I'm afraid so, it's going to happen,'' one influential club executive said, having never been in favor of expanding the playoffs. "It's something [commissioner] Roger [Goodell] seems to want, and experience says he's probably going to get it.''

Said another big-market club official: "The support for 14 teams in the playoffs is there now. That's going to happen. It's not a matter of if, but when.''

Read More: Oakland Raiders not taking a quarterback in first round of draft - NFL - Don Banks - SI.com

That means a bye for ONLY the #1 seed, right? That stinks. Altho it will make the last week of the regular season even wilder.

Froob · Mar 24, 2014

This sucks. NFL is the only sports league to get it right. 12 playoff teams is perfect. Also the 1st round bye makes getting the top 2 ranks worth it. Mark Cuban is right. NFL is getting too greedy and is going to implode eventually.

Observer · Mar 24, 2014

If they do that they should also change the seeding to just be overall record within the conference instead of having division champions automatically qualify.

Nunchucks · Mar 24, 2014

They wanted to vote on it this year, but had more resistance than expected, that may continue.

Expanding the number of teams is an awful idea. The NFL is continuing to mess with a good thing.

Ivan · Mar 24, 2014

Complete garbage. The greed of the owners is going to ruin this game.

Roger Goodell really and truly sucks.

JayNM · Mar 24, 2014

This is pretty lame. 12 teams were perfect, no putrid 8-8 teams like the cowboys in the Play Offs. Not to mention the HUGE advantage of the #1 seed, getting the only bye and home-field advantage throughout the POs.

And all in all, is just another way to grab another game on TV and generating even more money. This is getting out of hand

patchick · Mar 24, 2014

One of the best things about the NFL is that every game counts, and as a rule, only good teams get a chance at the final prize. 14 teams is perilously close to hockey-level playoffs.

MTM558 · Mar 24, 2014

Observer said:
If they do that they should also change the seeding to just be overall record within the conference instead of having division champions automatically qualify.

Then abolish the divisions all together. If this change were to happen, divisions would be as meaningless as they are in Cuban's NBA. The focus of every major sporting league should be winning the division to secure a place in the playoffs, in my opinion.

Galeb · Mar 24, 2014

So almost half of the teams will make the playoffs. Get ready for a lot more garbage games at the end of the season. Remember when the regular season used to mean something?

dales804 · Mar 24, 2014

Here's hoping to a lot more #1 seeds for NE in the future.

Sicilian · Mar 24, 2014

Observer said:
If they do that they should also change the seeding to just be overall record within the conference instead of having division champions automatically qualify.

Adding an additional wildcard team will most likely make this moot anyway. There would be fewer instances where a lower record would make it as a division winner but a higher record WC team wouldn't.

That said, for the record, I hate this idea.

Brady_to_Moss · Mar 24, 2014

Ya. Lets award the mediocre dolphins!

Lets give everyone a trophy!

NFL is so god dam greedy

oldrover · Mar 24, 2014

Brady_to_Moss said:
Ya. Lets award the mediocre dolphins!

Lets give everyone a trophy!

NFL is so god dam greedy

Stylez · Mar 24, 2014

Brady_to_Moss said:
Ya. Lets award the mediocre dolphins!

Lets give everyone a trophy!

NFL is so god dam greedy

Totally agree…I bet it's Jerry Jones pushing it cause his team just got even worse...

Sicilian · Mar 24, 2014

Stylez said:
Totally agree…I bet it's Jerry Jones pushing it cause his team just got even worse...

Woody Johnson too. His Jets have had recent success sneaking into the playoffs undeservedly, then riding that bottle lightning to the AFCCG (which is pretty much winning the Super Bowl for that franchise).

Sciz · Mar 24, 2014

In recent history, how many of the seventh-best teams in either conference deserved to make the playoffs? The 2008 Pats are a perfect example of what this fixes, but there have also been a few awful 7-seeds.

ivanvamp · Mar 24, 2014

The NFL as currently constituted (teams, divisions, playoffs, etc.) is essentially perfect. The schedule is easy. The divisions are balanced. The number of playoff teams is ideal - it's not like baseball was not long ago with just 4 teams per league getting in, but it's also not like hockey. It rewards regular season performance but also gives 7-7 teams a chance over the last two weeks to get in.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

jah · Mar 24, 2014

Sciz said:
In recent history, how many of the seventh-best teams in either conference deserved to make the playoffs? The 2008 Pats are a perfect example of what this fixes, but there have also been a few awful 7-seeds.

08 Pats, last year's Cardinals. I'd say they're exceptions, though, and usually the 7 seed isn't worthy of Super Bowl eligibility.

PatsWickedPissah · Mar 24, 2014

Goodell is pushing for this. This is why...
His incentive package for big bonus millions $ is obviously tied to revenue. Therefore he's pushing hard for any changes that boost league revenue. Any. Lobbying hard against owners reluctant to expand the playoffs. Pushing for an 18 game season. Expansion into overseas markets. The suit cares absolutely zero for what the paying fans think about the game. His job is increasing revenue by any means whatsoever.

Expect a continuing incessant barrage of hor****t proposals from The Tool.

RelocatedPatFan · Mar 24, 2014

Having lived through a season (as a Fan) and having my team go 11-5 and miss the playoffs really sucks. But, if the alternative is to get more mediocre teams into the Post Season because of that outlier in the probability chain, then I can only claim that this is a terrible idea.

I understand, some #6 ranked teams have won the SB, but what makes them think the #7 will fair as well?

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