Dallas Cowboys

When do the 2017 NFL Playoffs Start?

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 2:01 a.m. ET

Fansided, Cody Williams/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

When will the 2017 NFL Playoffs kick off with the Wild Card Round?

The NFL regular season is a grueling affair for both fans and teams. For those not lucky enough to be fans of the New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders, or Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 season, many weeks were an emotional rollercoaster of hoping your team does enough to make it to the 2017 NFL Playoffs. When the dust finally settles, though, only 12 teams—six from each conference—make it.

Obviously there are no guarantees when it comes to the NFL Playoffs. The New York Giants are famous for turning it on in the postseason as a Wild Card team and making Super Bowl runs. What’s more, they aren’t alone in that. All finishing with the No. 1 record in the conference does is ensure you’ll have a bye (as does the No. 2 seed) and will be playing at home as long as they’re alive. Other than that, nothing is certain.

Subsequently, the NFL Playoffs are one of the most exciting times of every year. There’s drama, there are old rivalries that come to the forefront, and there’s always the narratives that you have to follow. That’s the case again with the upcoming 2017 NFL Playoffs. With the rookie-led Cowboys surging, Tom Brady out for revenge, and blazing hot teams like the Giants or Packers involved, anything can happen.

If you can’t wait until the postseason begins, you certainly aren’t alone. But you might still be wondering when exactly the 2017 NFL Playoffs start so that you know when you finally get to see all of the great action.

The 2017 NFL Playoffs will start on Saturday, Jan. 7 with two games and then two more games on Sunday, Jan. 8 for the Wild Card Round. The matchups for those games have not yet been announced, but we can be sure that the drama, entertainment, and fun will be at season highs.