By Blessing 
The NFL is gearing up to vote on a playoff seeding proposal introduced by the Detroit Lions—one that could significantly shake up how teams are ranked once the postseason begins.
Currently, division winners are given priority in playoff seeding, even if other teams have better overall records. But the Lions are pushing for a change: they want the teams with the best records to be seeded higher than division champs when those champs are outperformed by second- or third-place teams in terms of win-loss records.
Ironically, the proposal would have benefited the Lions’ division rival, the Minnesota Vikings, just last season. Detroit clinched the NFC North with a stellar 15-2 record, giving them the top seed in the conference. They edged out the Vikings in the final game of the regular season—an outcome that determined both the division title and home-field advantage.
Although the proposal was brought up at the NFL Annual Meeting in April, it didn’t go to a vote then. However, it’s expected to resurface next week during league meetings in Minneapolis. There’s buzz around the league, with a mix of support and opposition. Some believe the idea may not pass next week but will eventually gain approval down the line.
One major factor behind this push for change is the league’s expected shift to an 18-week schedule. With more games, the league wants to avoid a scenario where the final week loses significance because teams have already locked in their playoff positions. When that happens, star players are often rested, and games that could have been thrillers turn into lackluster matchups.
From the Lions’ perspective—and others who back the proposal—it makes sense to reward teams that perform consistently well across the entire season, even if they didn’t win their division. Consider last year’s situation: the Vikings, with a 14-win season, had to travel to face the 10-win Rams in Los Angeles simply because the Rams topped their division. The Rams ended up winning that game easily, but many fans and analysts questioned whether it was fair.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell weighed in on the issue, acknowledging that while the idea is gaining traction, not everyone is on board.
“It’s got some legs,” Campbell said. “But I do know that a few things (against the proposal) have been brought up. ‘Hey, when you win your division, you get the first-place schedule.’ So, you play these first-place schedules and it doesn’t seem fair somebody else is playing a last-place schedule and they end up with a better record than yours and then they get a home game and you don’t.”
The debate over fairness is at the heart of this discussion. While rewarding division winners for battling tough schedules is understandable, there’s also something to be said for recognizing teams with the best overall performance—regardless of their division status. Whether the proposal passes now or in the future, it’s clear the league is inching toward a new era of playoff logic.