NFL Approves Playoff Expansion, CBS To Air Extra Wild Card Game As Uncertainty About Football Season Looms
BALTIMORE (WJZ/CBS Local) -- The National Football League announced Tuesday that its member clubs voted unanimously to approve an expansion of the playoff field to 14 teams for the upcoming 2020 season.
The vote, which was held remotely, follows the recommendation of the league's Competition Committee, Management Council Executive Committee and Media Committee.
The two additional Wild Card teams, one per conference, will face off with the No. 2 seed in their respective conference on Wild Card weekend. CBS will air one of the additional games on January 10, 2021, at approximately 4:40 p.m. EST/PST. In addition to the over-the-air telecast, the game will be streamed on CBS All Access. A separately produced telecast that is more kid-friendly will air on Nickelodeon.
The matchups for the Wild Card round of the playoffs will now see the No. 2 vs No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6 and No. 4 vs. No. 5 teams square off. The last time that the NFL expanded the playoff field was in 1990 when the league moved from 10 teams to 12.
Ravens safety Chuck Clark and tight end Mark Andrews spoke with reporters Tuesday via video conference. While the NFL hopes to have a full season starting in September, it's unknown if or when pre-season team workouts will take place if team facilities are closed.
"There's so much uncertainty during this time," Andrews said. "You look ahead and ask yourself, 'Is there going to be a football season?' I don't think anybody knows. We're not sure what's going to happen, but we have to focus on the things that matter."
Clark and Andrews are both staying fit with at-home workouts.