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Who's Going to the 2025 NFL Playoffs? Which Teams Have Clinched a Postseason Berth

With the NFL season winding down, the playoff picture is shaping up. 

By Matthew Jackson

We've reached the end of the NFL regular season, which means everyone is thinking about the playoffs. Whether teams are missing them or squeaking into the bracket, everyone's got their mind on what might come next.

Yes, even before the regular season ends, there are quite a few NFL teams who know in advance that they're making the playoffs by virtue of their division standings and their overall records. But which teams have made it? Let's take a closer look.

RELATED: NFL Divisions Explained

The NFL teams that have clinched playoff berths in 2025

Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills during a play on the field

Buffalo BillsWith their win over the 49ers on December 1, the Buffalo Bills claimed their fifth consecutive AFC East Division title, and became the first team this season to clinch a playoff berth, the first team to do so that early in the season since the 2009 Colts. After their clinching week, the Bills went on to finish the season 13-4, well ahead of everyone else in their division. While the overall top seed in the AFC might be out of their reach, they stand as clear Super Bowl contenders heading into the postseason.

Kansas City ChiefsFor the ninth straight year, the Chiefs have won the AFC West, having clinched the division on December 8 after a win over the Chargers. With a record of 15-2, they'll be the top-seeded team in the AFC. They're sitting pretty with an automatic playoff berth that comes with their division title, a first-round bye, and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. All of which adds up to a real good chance of becoming the first-ever NFL team to win three straight Super Bowls.

RELATED: A Quick Guide to the NFL Playoffs

2024 Nfl Lions

Detroit LionsAfter beating their division rivals the Green Bay Packers on December 5, the Lions clinched their second consecutive playoff berth, and a shot at an NFC title just a year removed from their epic Cinderella run. Far from underdogs at this point, the Lions closed out the season at 15-2, and defeated the Minnesota Vikings in their season closer to clinch the number one seed in the NFC.

Philadelphia EaglesAfter a rough patch in 2023, the Philadelphia Eagles are back on top. They clinched the NFC East title and a playoff berth. At 14-3, their high-powered offense just keeps rolling. We'll see how the postseason treats them.

Pittsburgh SteelersIn Week 15, the Pittsburgh Steelers clinched their 34th playoff berth in team history, and their 11th under Head Coach Mike Tomlin, after both Miami and Indianapolis lost, eliminating those two teams from contention. The Steelers are in a tough division, and ultimately lost the battle with the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the AFC North, but their 10-7 record is good enough to ensure they make the postseason with a dual quarterback attack of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans stiff arms Nick Herbig of the Pittsburgh Steelers

Houston TexansThe Houston Texans are officially AFC South champions for the second straight season after a Week 15 win over the Miami Dolphins, and that means they're headed to the playoffs for another season under Head Coach DeMeco Ryans and rising star quarterback C.J. Stroud. Now it's just a matter of figuring out how the Texans, who finished 10-7, will be seeded heading into the first round.

Minnesota VikingsEven before they'd played their Monday night Week 15 game against Chicago, the Vikings learned they were in the playoffs, thanks to a Green Bay win over Seattle on Sunday. At 14-3, the Vikings officially lost the NFC North title to the Vikings in their season closer, but they've still got a lot to be proud of heading into the postseason.

Baltimore RavensThe Ravens have been a consistent playoff contender all season, and in Week 16 they officially sewed up their chance to compete for a Super Bowl again this season. For the third straight year, Baltimore is headed to the postseason under the leadership of head coach John Harbaugh and MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. 

Green Bay PackersIn terms of pure win-loss records, the best division in football this season is the NFC North, a division headed up by the playoff bound Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. But to prove just how good the division is, a third team from the NFC North is now playoff bound. The Packers might not have the dominant streak of the Vikings or the Lions, but they're still a very good team, and to prove it they closed out Week 16 by clinching their second straight playoff berth. 

RELATED: Which NFL Teams Have Been Eliminated From the 2025 Playoffs?

Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers throws the ball during a game.

Los Angeles ChargersIn their first season under head coach Jim Harbaugh, who previously led the 49ers to a Super Bowl and won a National Championship with the Michigan Wolverines, the Chargers have punched their postseason ticket with a Week 17 victory over the New England Patriots. They'll have to settle for a Wild Card berth as they're a few games behind the division-and-conference-leading Chiefs, but that's not bad for a team that hasn't won a playoff game in six years. 

Washington CommandersThough they'll have to settle for second place in the NFC East behind the dominant Philadelphia Eagles, the Washington Commanders are still looking at their best season in literal decades right now. With their Week 17 win over the Falcons in a Sunday night thriller, the Commanders punched their ticket to the postseason, and delivered the first 11-win season for the squad since 1991. If that year sounds familiar to Washington fans, that's because it's the last time the team won a Super Bowl. So, the Commanders are headed to the postseason for the first time since 2020, where they'll have a chance to break another drought and win their first playoff game since 2005. With the star power of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, it's clear they like their odds.

Los Angeles RamsSometimes you get to the playoffs through sheer force of wins, and sometimes it's through a complex comparison of records. Either way, you're just happy to be there, and the Los Angeles Rams are definitely happy to be headed to the postseason in January. The Rams beat the Cardinals on Saturday, but it wasn't until Sunday night, when the Commanders beat the Falcons, that they knew they'd landed an NFC West title and a playoff berth. Why, well, it's all about lining up who beat who throughout the season, and the Rams got the right combination of wins and losses by other NFC teams, including the Commanders' playoff-clinching win, to send them through to the postseason. The last time the Rams won their division, in 2021, they went on to win the Super Bowl, so look out for the NFC West champs.

Denver BroncosIn their final game of the season on January 5, the Denver Broncos faced the AFC-leading Kansas City Chiefs, who'd benched some of their starters in favor of playoff rest. It was an arrangement that worked in Denver's favor. Led by a dynamic performance from quarterback Bo Nix, the Broncos closed out their regular season with a win at home over the Chiefs, and punched their ticket to the playoffs and the third team from the AFC West, after the Chiefs and the Chargers, to make the postseason.

Tampa Bay BuccaneersDown the final stretch of the regular season, the Buccaneers and the Falcons were in a battle for the NFC South crown, and a trip to the postseason. But while the Falcons were fighting back against a slump, the Buccaneers just kept heating up, and they finished the season strong with a Week 18 victory over the Saints. Meanwhile the Falcons dropped their final game of the season to the Panthers, securing Tampa Bay's place atop the division. 

For more NFL Playoff news, head over to NBC Sports.

Originally published Dec 13, 2024.

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