NFL playoff bracket: Live updates as Divisional Round field is set

The 2026 NFL Playoffs are officially underway, and the Wild Card Round has been a fun one. Saturday saw the Rams blow an early lead over the Panthers but then stage a last minute comeback win, and the Bears come back from a 21-3 deficit to win in the closing minutes.

The Broncos and Seahawks spent this weekend on a bye and await the three teams that will advance out of the Wild Card Round. The NFL re-seeds heading into the Divisional Round, so they won’t know their specific opponent until games wrap up. Denver and Seattle will host the worst remaining seed in the AFC and NFC. The two middle seeds in each conference will face off in the other Divisional matchups.

We’ll be updating this throughout the weekend as the bracket finalizes itself. We’ll know the NFC Divisional Round matchups by the close of Sunday’s 49ers-Eagles game. We’ll know one of the AFC Divisional matchups, and the other will finalize on Monday when Steelers-Texans wraps up.

AFC playoff bracket

Here is the current AFC playoff bracket as we figure out what the Divisional Round looks like.

Divisional Round

1. Denver Broncos (14-3) vs. TBD

Wild Card Round

2. New England Patriots (14-3) vs. 7. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4) vs. 6. Buffalo Bills (12-5)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) vs. 5. Houston Texans (12-5)

NFC playoff bracket

The Rams opened the playoffs with a blown lead and comeback win over the Panthers. They jumped out to a 14-0 lead and looked like they might roll. Carolina was a double-digit underdog, but fought back and nearly pulled off the upset. They took a four-point lead with 2:39 remaining, but that was too much time for the Rams, as Matthew Stafford drove them down the field and found Colby Parkinson for the game-winning touchdown with 38 seconds left.

The Bears looked like they were headed for a quick exit, trailing the Packers 21-3 at halftime. They couldn’t find the end zone in the third quarter and for a good chunk of the fourth quarter, settling for a pair of field goals to cut the lead to 12. They finally found the end zone at the 10:08 mark in the fourth quarter, but the Packers responded to take an 11-point lead with 6:36 left in the game. Chicago did what it’s done all season, as Caleb Williams led them on two touchdown drives en route to a 31-27 win.

Here is the current NFC playoff bracket as we figure out what the Divisional Round looks like.

Divisional Round

#1 Seattle Seahawks vs. #5 Los Angeles Rams or #6 San Francisco 49ers
#2 Chicago Bears vs. #3 Philadelphia Eagles or #5 Los Angeles Rams

Wild Card Round

#2 Chicago Bears 31, #7 Green Bay Packers 27
#3 Philadelphia Eagles vs. 6# San Francisco 49ers
#5 Los Angeles Rams 34, #4 Carolina Panthers 31