Following a 14-3 regular season that failed to secure a home playoff game, Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson has taken issue with the NFL’s playoff format.
Last season, the Vikings played a major part in the most dominant division in NFL history. The NFC North combined for the best winning percentage (66.2%) for a division in league history, and the four teams combined for a plus-384 scoring differential.
The division title was not decided until the final week of the regular season, when the 15-2 Detroit Lions ousted the Vikings 30-20. Detroit went on to claim the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and home-field advantage through the conference championship.
Meanwhile, the Vikings (14-3), tied for the second-best record in the conference, fell to the No. 5 seed and went on the road for the first round of the postseason. The No. 4-seeded Los Angeles Rams and No. 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers both owned 10-7 records and faced easier competition throughout the regular season.
In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Jefferson argued for the league to change.
Justin Jefferson Urges NFL to Change Playoff Format
Asked bluntly if a 14-win team deserves to have a home playoff game, Jefferson did not make any excuses for the Vikings faltering on the road to the Rams in the postseason but admitted he felt the 2024 Vikings thought they earned a home playoff game.
“With the season that we had last year, to go and play away, it definitely was a little different,” Jefferson said, per NBC. “It definitely needs to go into consideration and something that we need to figure out because having 14 wins… normally doesn’t go to play away in the playoffs.
“We definitely had the opportunity to play home field with the last game in Detroit, but even losing that we still felt like we should’ve had home-field advantage,” Jefferson added. “But even not having home-field advantage is never an excuse. It’s something we had to deal with and we wish we would’ve had home field but it is what it is.”
NFC North Only Got Better in 2025
While the NFL’s playoff formula will remain as is for the 2025 NFL season, the Vikings have their work cut out for them.
The Chicago Bears hired Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who inherits a ready-to-win roster that also overhauled its offensive line to get No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams more help.
The Green Bay Packers return the majority of a top-five defense and also got Jordan Love some help with the addition of first-round wide receiver Matthew Golden.
Detroit may not have made many flashy moves and must also replace both its coordinators, but the Lions also had a tremendous season with a defense ravaged by injuries. Aidan Hutchinson returns after he presented himself as a frontrunner for the Defensive Player of the Year award through six weeks before a season-ending tibia injury.
Most major sportsbooks have the Vikings expected to finish third in the division due to the unknown at quarterback with J.J. McCarthy.
But after exceeding their 6.5-game total set by oddsmakers last year, the Vikings are seen more favorably with an 8.5-game win total entering the season despite a first-year starter at quarterback.
McCarthy and the Vikings have a strong chance to exceed expectations just as Sam Darnold did last season.
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