When NFL players agreed to the new collective-bargaining agreement, the deal allowed the NFL to expand the playoffs and regular season. Now, team owners are reportedly like to vote in favor of the expanded playoff format for the 2020 season early next week.
According to NFL.com’s Judy Battista, NFL team owners are expected to take part in a conference call on Monday and Tuesday next week in place of the canceled owners meeting. During that conference call, the owners are expected to approve the measure to move to a 14-team playoff format next season.
The new rule will eliminate the No. 2 seed in each conference receiving a first-round bye during the wild-card round of the NFL Playoffs. Instead, those two teams will host the added wild-card opponent.
If the new rule had been in place for this past season, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams would have represented the No. 7 seed in their respective conferences. It also would have resulted in the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers losing the first-round bye.
The NFL is expected to use the two additional playoff games in negotiations for new deals with media networks, with discussions already underway.