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The NFL will reportedly add a wild card playoff team to each conference.
Dan Patrick says he's been told that the NFL will add a wild card team in both conferences.
— Andrew Perloff (@andrewperloff) January 6, 2014
NBC Sports’ Dan Patrick is the only one to report this news so far. But as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports points out, such a change would have to be first approved by league owners.
On DP's report that a Wild Card team will be added in each conference, NFL says no decision made. Would have to be voted on by owners…
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 6, 2014
To this point it hasn't been presented to them. Of course, it could be at May meeting. DP may have inside info that enough votes are there
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 6, 2014
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league is open to “multiple” changes to the current playoff system, including reseeding to one extra game and expanding the pool from 12 to 14 teams.
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Expanding the NFL playoff field would certainly make sense from a ratings standpoint. Wild Card Saturday ratings are up 9 percent from last year, according to TV By the Numbers. Not to mention, the NFL boasted the 10 most-watched sporting events of 2013.
Wild Card games averaged 34.7 million viewers, most-watched Wild Card Weekend ever & fourth straight averaging over 30 million viewers.
— Greg Aiello (@gregaiello) January 6, 2014
If this new playoff format were in play this year, the Arizona Cardinals (10-6) and Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8) would have qualified from the NFC and AFC, respectively.