Report: NFL approves expanding playoff field if games are cancelled

November 10, 2020 - 4:21pm

The Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce hoists the trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 54. (David J. Phillip/AP)

NFL owners have reportedly voted to expand the playoff field from 14 to 16 teams if regular season games are cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the owners voted to add one playoff team per conference. The 2020 season already was set to have an expanded playoff from six teams to seven.

NFL owners approved a proposal to add two playoff teams – eight in each conference – if regular-season games get cancelled.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 10, 2020

This would only happen if the league is unable to reschedule any postponed regular season in a possible Week 18 and the owners also agreed that there will not be a re-seeding for the playoffs.

Along with the playoff contingency plan, the league approved compensation for teams that develop a minority assistant coach or executive who is hired for an open head coach or general manager position. If a team loses a minority coach or a front office executive to head coaching or general manager jobs elsewhere, they will be awarded picks at the end of the third round.

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