The Detroit Lions have made a bold move by proposing a significant change to the NFL’s playoff system. The team is advocating for a new approach that would prioritize regular-season records over division titles when seeding playoff teams. This proposal could reshape how the NFL playoffs are structured, offering a more performance-based and equitable method of determining playoff spots.
Currently, the NFL gives automatic playoff spots and higher seeding to division champions, regardless of their overall record. This has led to situations where division winners with worse records are granted home-field advantages or higher seeds over teams with better overall performance. The Lions’ proposal seeks to end this system, instead awarding playoff seeding based solely on regular-season records, even if a team is a wild card.
The timing of the proposal is especially notable in light of the 2024 season, where the Lions finished with the best record in the NFC at 15-2, yet had to face a higher-seeded Minnesota Vikings team (14-3) in the playoffs due to the division seeding system. This decision forced the Vikings into a road game, which they lost to the Los Angeles Rams. The Lions argue that this is an example of how the current system can lead to unfair playoff matchups, as wild-card teams with better records have been forced to play on the road, despite outperforming division winners in the regular season.
This proposed change mirrors the NBA’s 2015-16 season structure, where division winners no longer received automatic higher seeding in the playoffs. NFL officials have pointed out that had this new system been in place in previous seasons, playoff results could have been vastly different. For example, the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, with the same record as the Rams, had to play on the road, and the Los Angeles Chargers, who had an 11-6 record, had to travel to face a 10-7 Houston Texans team and were eliminated.
In addition to the playoff seeding proposal, the Lions have also submitted two other suggestions for discussion. One of these aims to eliminate automatic first downs for penalties such as defensive holding or illegal contact, while another seeks changes to roster management rules for injured players, particularly regarding the roster reduction process.
These proposals will be discussed at the Annual League Meeting on March 30, 2025, and to pass, they will need the approval of at least 24 of the 32 team owners. The conversation around playoff fairness is becoming more significant, with fans and analysts alike pushing for changes to ensure that performance is the primary factor in playoff seeding, not just division titles.
The Lions’ proposal signals a shift in the NFL, where the focus on skill and performance could lead to a more merit-based postseason structure. If approved, the 2025 NFL playoffs could see a major shift, rewarding teams for their regular-season success rather than their divisional affiliations. It’s a proposal that could mark the start of a new era in NFL playoff history, where records, not divisions, dictate postseason paths.