When do the NFL playoffs start this season? Though the 2025 NFLregularseason doesn't start for a few more months, the league's recent schedule release has kept football at the top of mind in late spring. As fans parse through their teams' 18-week schedules, selling themselves on optimism and hope for a strong record (and perhaps Super Bowl contention) in 2025, they turn their attention ahead to the playoffs. Barring any drastic changes due to unforeseen circumstances, the NFL postseason will again begin the weekend after the conclusion of the regular season. Following a Week 18 slate loaded with divisional rivalry games, brackets will lock into place as teams solidify their playoff berths and seedings. 2025 NFL SCHEDULE RELEASE:49ers, Patriots among teams with easiest strength of schedule in 2025 Of the 14 teams that make the playoffs, 12 of them – all but each conference's No. 1 seed – will start their postseason run in the wild-card round the weekend after Week 18 concludes. There's still plenty of time before the regular season begins – let alone the playoffs – but here's what to know about the NFL postseason schedule: Dates:Jan. 10-12, 2026 This year's playoffs will start with a three-day slate of wild-card round games the weekend after Week 18. Two games will occur Saturday, Jan. 10; two more games follow on Sunday, Jan. 11, and the wild-card round will conclude with a single game on Monday, Jan. 12. 2025 NFL SCHEDULE RELEASE:Bills-Ravens rematch tops 8 best primetime games All dates are in 2026. Wild-card round:Jan. 10-12 Divisional round:Jan. 17-18 Conference championships:Jan. 25 Super Bowl 60:Feb. 8 As always, the first three weeks of playoff matchups will get underway in back-to-back-to-back weeks after the regular season ends. Conference champions will enjoy a two-week break before facing off in the Super Bowl. SUPER BOWL ODDS:Who is the favorite to win Super Bowl 60 after 2025 NFL schedule release? Date: Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026 Time: 6:30 p.m. ET Since the league added a week to the regular season schedule in 2021, the Super Bowl has always taken place on the second Sunday in February. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:When do the NFL playoffs start? Dates for wild-card round revealed
