2021 NFL season

2021 National Football League season
Regular season
Duration	September 9, 2021 – January 9, 2022
Playoffs
Start date	January 15, 2022
Super Bowl LVI
Date	February 13, 2022
Site	SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Pro Bowl
Date	February 6, 2022
Site	Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada
	← 2020; NFL seasons; 2022 →;

The 2021 NFL season was the 102nd season of the National Football League (NFL). This is the first season to have 17 games.^[1] The regular season games started on September 9, 2021. The regular season games ended on January 9, 2022. The playoffs started on January 15 and ended with Super Bowl LVI on February 13.

Regular season standings change

Division change

AFC East
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
⁽³⁾ Buffalo Bills	11	6	0	.647	5–1	7–5	483	289	W4
⁽⁶⁾ New England Patriots	10	7	0	.588	3–3	8–4	462	303	L1
Miami Dolphins	9	8	0	.529	4–2	6–6	341	373	W1
New York Jets	4	13	0	.235	0–6	4–8	310	504	L2

AFC North
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
⁽⁴⁾ Cincinnati Bengals	10	7	0	.588	4–2	8–4	460	376	L1
⁽⁷⁾ Pittsburgh Steelers	9	7	1	.559	4–2	7–5	343	398	W2
Cleveland Browns	8	9	0	.471	3–3	5–7	349	371	W1
Baltimore Ravens	8	9	0	.471	1–5	5–7	387	392	L6

AFC South
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
⁽¹⁾ Tennessee Titans	12	5	0	.706	5–1	8–4	419	354	W3
Indianapolis Colts	9	8	0	.529	3–3	7–5	451	365	L2
Houston Texans	4	13	0	.235	3–3	4–8	280	452	L2
Jacksonville Jaguars	3	14	0	.176	1–5	3–9	253	457	W1

AFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
⁽²⁾ Kansas City Chiefs	12	5	0	.706	5–1	7–5	480	364	W1
⁽⁵⁾ Las Vegas Raiders	10	7	0	.588	3–3	8–4	374	439	W4
Los Angeles Chargers	9	8	0	.529	3–3	6–6	474	459	L1
Denver Broncos	7	10	0	.412	1–5	3–9	335	322	L4

NFC East
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
⁽³⁾ Dallas Cowboys	12	5	0	.706	6–0	10–2	530	358	W1
⁽⁷⁾ Philadelphia Eagles	9	8	0	.529	3–3	7–5	444	385	L1
Washington Football Team	7	10	0	.412	2–4	6–6	335	434	W1
New York Giants	4	13	0	.235	1–5	3–9	258	416	L6

NFC North
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
⁽¹⁾ Green Bay Packers	13	4	0	.765	4–2	9–3	450	371	L1
Minnesota Vikings	8	9	0	.471	4–2	6–6	425	426	W1
Chicago Bears	6	11	0	.353	2–4	4–8	311	407	L1
Detroit Lions	3	13	1	.206	2–4	3–9	325	467	W1

NFC South
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
⁽²⁾ Tampa Bay Buccaneers	13	4	0	.765	4–2	8–4	511	353	W3
New Orleans Saints	9	8	0	.529	4–2	7–5	364	335	W2
Atlanta Falcons	7	10	0	.412	2–4	4–8	313	459	L2
Carolina Panthers	5	12	0	.294	2–4	3–9	304	404	L7

NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
⁽⁴⁾ Los Angeles Rams	12	5	0	.706	3–3	8–4	460	372	L1
⁽⁵⁾ Arizona Cardinals	11	6	0	.647	4–2	7–5	449	366	L1
⁽⁶⁾ San Francisco 49ers	10	7	0	.588	2–4	7–5	427	365	W2
Seattle Seahawks	7	10	0	.412	3–3	4–8	395	366	W2

Conference change

AFC v t e
#	Team	Division	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	SOS	SOV	STK
Division winners
1^[a]	Tennessee Titans	South	12	5	0	.706	5–1	8–4	.472	.480	W3
2^[a]	Kansas City Chiefs	West	12	5	0	.706	5–1	7–5	.538	.517	W1
3	Buffalo Bills	East	11	6	0	.647	5–1	7–5	.472	.428	W4
4	Cincinnati Bengals	North	10	7	0	.588	4–2	8–4	.472	.462	L1
Wild cards
5^[b]	Las Vegas Raiders	West	10	7	0	.588	3–3	8–4	.510	.515	W4
6^[b]	New England Patriots	East	10	7	0	.588	3–3	8–4	.481	.394	L1
7	Pittsburgh Steelers	North	9	7	1	.559	4–2	7–5	.521	.490	W2
Did not qualify for the postseason
8^[c]	Indianapolis Colts	South	9	8	0	.529	3–3	7–5	.495	.431	L2
9^[c]^[d]	Miami Dolphins	East	9	8	0	.529	4–2	6–6	.464	.379	W1
10^[c]^[d]	Los Angeles Chargers	West	9	8	0	.529	3–3	6–6	.510	.500	L1
11^[e]	Cleveland Browns	North	8	9	0	.471	3–3	5–7	.514	.415	W1
12^[e]	Baltimore Ravens	North	8	9	0	.471	1–5	5–7	.531	.460	L6
13	Denver Broncos	West	7	10	0	.412	1–5	3–9	.484	.357	L4
14^[f]	New York Jets	East	4	13	0	.235	0–6	4–8	.512	.426	L2
15^[f]	Houston Texans	South	4	13	0	.235	3–3	4–8	.498	.397	L2
16	Jacksonville Jaguars	South	3	14	0	.176	1–5	3–9	.512	.569	W1
Tiebreakers^[g]
↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Tennessee finished ahead of Kansas City based on head-to-head victory. ↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Las Vegas finished ahead of New England based on win percentage in common games. ↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Indianapolis finished ahead of Miami and Los Angeles based on conference record. ↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Miami finished ahead of LA Chargers based on win percentage in common games. ↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 Cleveland finished ahead of Baltimore based on division record. ↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 NY Jets finished ahead of Houston based on head-to-head victory. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

NFC v t e
#	Team	Division	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	SOS	SOV	STK
Division winners
1^[a]	Green Bay Packers	North	13	4	0	.765	4–2	9–3	.479	.480	L1
2^[a]	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	South	13	4	0	.765	4–2	8–4	.467	.443	W3
3^[b]	Dallas Cowboys	East	12	5	0	.706	6–0	10–2	.488	.431	W1
4^[b]	Los Angeles Rams	West	12	5	0	.706	3–3	8–4	.483	.409	L1
Wild cards
5	Arizona Cardinals	West	11	6	0	.647	4–2	7–5	.490	.492	L1
6	San Francisco 49ers	West	10	7	0	.588	2–4	7–5	.500	.438	W2
7^[c]	Philadelphia Eagles	East	9	8	0	.529	3–3	7–5	.469	.350	L1
Did not qualify for the postseason
8^[c]	New Orleans Saints	South	9	8	0	.529	4–2	7–5	.512	.516	W2
9	Minnesota Vikings	North	8	9	0	.471	4–2	6–6	.507	.434	W1
10^[d]	Washington Football Team	East	7	10	0	.412	2–4	6–6	.529	.420	W1
11^[d]^[e]	Seattle Seahawks	West	7	10	0	.412	3–3	4–8	.519	.424	W2
12^[d]^[e]	Atlanta Falcons	South	7	10	0	.412	2–4	4–8	.472	.315	L2
13	Chicago Bears	North	6	11	0	.353	2–4	4–8	.524	.373	L1
14	Carolina Panthers	South	5	12	0	.294	2–4	3–9	.509	.412	L7
15	New York Giants	East	4	13	0	.235	1–5	3–9	.536	.485	L6
16	Detroit Lions	North	3	13	1	.206	2–4	3–9	.528	.627	W1
Tiebreakers^[f]
↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Green Bay finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on conference record. ↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Dallas finished ahead of LA Rams based on conference record. ↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Philadelphia finished ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head victory. ↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 Washington finished ahead of Atlanta and Seattle based on head-to-head sweep. ↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 Seattle finished ahead of Atlanta based on win percentage in common games. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

Postseason change

Bracket change


Jan 16 – AT&T Stadium			Jan 22 – Lambeau Field
6	San Francisco	23

3	Dallas	17
			6	San Francisco	13
						Jan 30 – SoFi Stadium
Jan 17 – SoFi Stadium			1	Green Bay	10

			NFC
5	Arizona	11				6	San Francisco	17
			Jan 23 – Raymond James Stadium
4	LA Rams	34				4	LA Rams	20

						NFC Championship
Jan 16 – Raymond James Stadium			4	LA Rams	30

			2	Tampa Bay	27
7	Philadelphia	15
			Divisional playoffs						Feb 13 – SoFi Stadium
2	Tampa Bay	31

Wild Card playoffs
									N4	LA Rams	23

Jan 15 – Paul Brown Stadium			Jan 22 – Nissan Stadium						A4	Cincinnati	20

									Super Bowl LVI
5	Las Vegas	19

4	Cincinnati	26
			4	Cincinnati	19
						Jan 30 – Arrowhead Stadium
Jan 15 – Highmark Stadium			1	Tennessee	16

			AFC
6	New England	17				4	Cincinnati	27*
			Jan 23 – Arrowhead Stadium
3	Buffalo	47				2	Kansas City	24

						AFC Championship
Jan 16 – Arrowhead Stadium			3	Buffalo	36

			2	Kansas City	42*
7	Pittsburgh	21

2	Kansas City	42

* Indicates overtime victory

References change

↑ "NFL owners approve enhanced schedule with 17 regular-season games per team". NFL.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.

[12-5-2] 1.0 ^1.1 Tennessee finished ahead of Kansas City based on head-to-head victory.

[10-7-3] 2.0 ^2.1 Las Vegas finished ahead of New England based on win percentage in common games.

[9-8a-4] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Indianapolis finished ahead of Miami and Los Angeles based on conference record.

[9-8b-5] 4.0 ^4.1 Miami finished ahead of LA Chargers based on win percentage in common games.

[8-9-6] 5.0 ^5.1 Cleveland finished ahead of Baltimore based on division record.

[4-13-7] 6.0 ^6.1 NY Jets finished ahead of Houston based on head-to-head victory.

[8] When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

[13-4-9] 1.0 ^1.1 Green Bay finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on conference record.

[12-5-10] 2.0 ^2.1 Dallas finished ahead of LA Rams based on conference record.

[9-8-11] 3.0 ^3.1 Philadelphia finished ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head victory.

[7-10a-12] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 Washington finished ahead of Atlanta and Seattle based on head-to-head sweep.

[7-10b-13] 5.0 ^5.1 Seattle finished ahead of Atlanta based on win percentage in common games.

[14] When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

[17approved-1] "NFL owners approve enhanced schedule with 17 regular-season games per team". NFL.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.

[1]

[a]

[b]

[c]

[d]

[e]

[f]

[g]

[a]

[b]

[c]

[d]

[e]

[f]

Regular season
Duration	September 9, 2021 (2021-09-09) – January 9, 2022 (2022-01-09)
Playoffs
Start date	January 15, 2022
Super Bowl LVI
Date	February 13, 2022
Site	SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Pro Bowl
Date	February 6, 2022
Site	Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada

← 2020 NFL seasons 2022 →