Owners approve expanding postseason to 14 teams

The NFL’s anticipated playoff expansion officially passed.

League owners voted to approve expanding the postseason to 14 teams beginning in the 2020 season, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source.

The decision came during a conference call Tuesday, which took place in lieu of the NFL’s Annual League Meeting, which was canceled earlier this month as part of the league’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Changing the playoff format required approval from three-quarters of the 32 NFL owners.

With playoff field expanded to 14, NBC and CBS will get broadcast rights to the two additional wild card games.

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The NFL owners have confirmed, via a vote on today’s teleconference, that there will be expanded playoffs after the 2020 season, source said. Expected and now official. One more team per conference.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 31, 2020

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2020 NFL Playoff updates:
* 14 teams, 7 per conference
* One bye per conference
* Wild Card weekend schedule: three games on January 9, 2021, three games on January 10, 2021
* This marks the first NFL Playoff expansion since 1990

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 31, 2020