⁠The Detroit Lions recently proposed a change to the seeding in the NFL playoffs. Supposedly, Roger Goodell himself is behind the idea.

Is there going to be a revolution in the NFL playoffs? In mid-March, the Detroit Lions officially submitted a proposal to change the seeding list in the postseason. But apparently the Lions were not the originators of this idea.

As reported by NBC, Commissioner Roger Goodell himself is said to have encouraged the Lions to submit the proposal. The 66-year-old is said to be an ardent supporter of changing the playoffs.

The proposal put forward by the Lions envisages that in the future, home advantage in the playoffs will no longer be based on placement in the division, but on the overall record in the regular season. This means that division winners would still reach the playoffs, but would no longer automatically get home advantage.

According to the report, Goodell, who is said to be the driving force behind the plans, wants to ensure that the regular season remains exciting until the end. He is said to have been visibly annoyed at the recent league meeting that the Lions’ proposal – and thus his own – met with resistance.

NFL playoffs: decision postponed until May

A decision on whether the playoffs will actually be changed in Goodell’s favor was postponed until a meeting in May. Some compromise proposals on this topic are also still under discussion.

For example, the loss of home field advantage could only apply to division winners who have won fewer than 50 percent of their games. Another idea would be a new seeding after the Wild Card Round.

However, at least in the past season, Goodell’s idea of playing the Wild Card Round on the last day of the regular season would have achieved exactly the opposite of his actual intention. Because when the Lions and the Minnesota Vikings met in a direct duel for the division victory in the NFC North, it was primarily about home field advantage.

If the format were to change, both teams would have already had their home game – so the value of the game would have decreased dramatically.