What Does Wild Card Mean in Football? Explained

By Sarah Miller · February 23, 2030

In football, a wild card refers to a team that qualifies for the playoffs despite not winning its division, based on having one of the best records among non-division winners in the conference. Wild card teams add competitive depth to the postseason and often come from tightly contested divisions where strong teams are locked out by a single dominant division winner.

What Is a Wild Card in Football?

The wild card system in football allows additional teams to enter the postseason beyond just the division champions. In the NFL, each conference (AFC and NFC) awards three wild card spots to the non-division-winning teams with the best win-loss records. This means a total of seven teams from each conference qualify: four division winners and three wild cards.

How Does Wild Card Qualification Work?

Teams must finish second or third in their division but have a better record than other non-winners.
Wild card teams are ranked by win-loss-tie record, strength of schedule, and tiebreaker rules.
They enter the playoffs as lower seeds and face higher-seeded division winners in the Wild Card Round.
The system rewards consistency and competitiveness across the regular season.

History and Evolution of the Wild Card Format

The NFL introduced the wild card in 1970 following the AFL-NFL merger to increase playoff access and national interest. Initially, only one wild card team per conference was allowed. Over time, expansions increased this number:

1970–1977: One wild card per conference
1978–1990: Two wild cards per conference
1990–2019: Three wild cards per conference (after adding a fourth division)
2020–present: Expanded to seven playoff teams per conference, including three wild cards

Impact of Wild Card Teams on the NFL Playoffs

Wild card teams frequently make deep playoff runs, challenging the notion that only division winners are elite. Some notable achievements include:

The 2007 New York Giants, a wild card team, won Super Bowl XLII.
The 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the first team to play and win the Super Bowl entirely in their home stadium, entering as a wild card.
Wild card teams keep fan engagement high late into the season, even for teams that can't win their division.

Season	Wild Card Team	Conference	Regular Season Record	Playoff Result
2007	New York Giants	NFC	10–6	Super Bowl Champion
2010	Green Bay Packers	NFC	10–6	Super Bowl Champion
2019	Tennessee Titans	AFC	9–7	AFC Championship Game
2020	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	NFC	11–5	Super Bowl Champion
2021	Cincinnati Bengals	AFC	10–7	Super Bowl Runner-Up

Table data source:1, 2

The data shows that wild card teams with strong finishes and momentum can go deep in the playoffs. Notably, two wild card teams have won the Super Bowl since 2007, proving that seeding does not always reflect ultimate potential. The inclusion of multiple wild cards enhances parity and excitement in the NFL postseason.

Wild Card Rules Across Different Football Leagues

While the NFL's wild card system is the most prominent, other leagues use similar concepts:

College Football: No wild card; selection is via committee rankings.
English Premier League: No wild card; top teams qualify for UEFA Champions League.
UEFA Champions League: Uses performance-based qualification, akin to wild cards for non-champions.
Canadian Football League (CFL): Has crossover rules allowing a fourth-place team to qualify if better than a third-place team in the other division.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wild Cards in Football

How many wild card teams are there in the NFL?

There are three wild card teams per conference in the NFL, making six total wild card teams in the league’s postseason bracket.

Can a wild card team host a playoff game?

Yes, starting in 2020, the highest-seeded wild card team in each conference earns a bye week, while lower wild cards may host games depending on seeding and opponent.

What happens if two wild card teams have the same record?

The NFL uses a series of tiebreakers including head-to-head results, division record, common games record, and strength of victory to determine seeding.

Has a wild card team ever won the Super Bowl?

Yes, six wild card teams have reached the Super Bowl, and three have won: the 1980 Raiders, 2007 Giants, and 2010 Packers. The 2020 Buccaneers also won as a wild card team.

Why did the NFL expand to three wild card teams?

The NFL expanded to three wild card teams per conference in 1990 after realigning into four divisions per conference. This change ensured broader representation and more competitive balance in the playoffs.