Starting next season, the NFL may follow in the footsteps of college football and revamp its own postseason format.
According to CBS Sports The NFL is revisiting changes to its playoff structure this offseason, according to a report on Saturday.
The league appears to be considering a home-field advantage structure in the postseason that would award home games to the top four teams based on winning percentage.
Currently, the NFL automatically grants home games to the winners of each division, regardless of a team's record.
These negotiations came after the Vikings, 14-3, played their first postseason game on the road, despite having the second-best record in the NFC.
The Vikings finished one game behind the 15-2 Lions, who won the NFC North with a win over Minnesota in Week 18.
The Vikings are scheduled to play the Rams in Arizona on Monday night, rather than earning a top seed and a first-round bye like the Lions.
Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown suggested a change in format ahead of the district championship.
“Obviously if you win your division you qualify for the playoffs, but it’s kind of crazy that a team that wins 14 games has to go on the road,” he said. “But I don't think I set the rules.”
The game was originally scheduled to be held in Los Angeles, but was rescheduled due to ongoing wildfires.
Changing the playoff format is nothing new for the NFL, as the league expanded its postseason participation from 12 to 14 teams ahead of the 2020 season.
The expansion means only one team in each conference can earn a first-round bye, compared to previously two.
This change also introduced six wild card round games, up from four previously.
