Explaining the NFL playoff seeding tiebreakers and how they work

The end of the 2023 NFL regular season is fast approaching, but there’s still plenty of questions about the playoffs.

With four weeks to play, only one team has officially locked up a postseason spot so far: the San Francisco 49ers. But, of course, there are plenty of others clubs that are well-positioned to make it there.

Others spots, with so many teams on the fringe, could come down to tiebreakers. There will undoubtedly be squads with the same record after their final games -- the AFC has six 7-6 teams and the NFC has five 6-7 teams after Week 14. Additionally, two divisions are tied and two are separated by one game. So, how is a tie broken between playoff teams? What about ties within a division?

Here’s a full breakdown of the NFL tiebreaking procedures:

How is a tied record broken between playoff teams?

Tied records happen basically every year as teams enter the NFL postseason.

Through 14 weeks this season, there are several ties that would need to be broken if the playoffs started right now. In the AFC, six 7-6 teams are vying for two wild card spots. The NFC has one 7-6 team, five 6-7 teams and two 5-8 teams fighting for the final two wild card bids. While there's still plenty of time to sort it all out, ties will inevitably have to be broken.

Here’s the procedures for ties between two and three teams:

Between two clubs

1. Head-to-head, if applicable.
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in conference games.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
4. Strength of victory in all games.
5. Strength of schedule in all games.
6. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
7. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best net points in conference games.
9. Best net points in all games.
10. Best net touchdowns in all games.
11. Coin toss.

Between three or more clubs

1. Apply division tiebreaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tiebreaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.
2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in conference games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
5. Strength of victory in all games.
6. Strength of schedule in all games.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
9. Best net points in conference games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

How is a tied record broken between division teams?

Division tiebreakers are broken in a slightly different way – and those procedures could be on display this season in several divisions. Three teams in the AFC South -- the Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5), Houston Texans (7-6) and Indianapolis Colts (7-6) are separated by just one game. The NFC South is a dead heat between three squads, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) leading the Atlanta Falcons (6-7) and New Orleans Saints (6-7) thanks to a tiebreaker. Then there's the NFC East battle between the Philadelphia Eagles (10-3) and Dallas Cowboys (10-3), which is even after Dallas' win on Sunday Night Football in Week 14.

Here’s the full division tiebreaker procedures:

Between two clubs

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in divisional games.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in conference games.
5. Strength of victory in all games.
6. Strength of schedule in all games
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

Between three or more clubs

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in divisional games.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in conference games.
5. Strength of victory in all games.
6. Strength of schedule in all games.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss