Within each conference, the three division winners and the non-division winner with the best overall regular season record of all remaining teams in the conference qualified for the playoffs. The NFL did not use a seeding system until the 1975 season, and instead home teams during the first two rounds of the playoffs alternated by division. Thus, it is possible that a team could host another club with a better regular season record. For the Super Bowl, the championship round was played at a neutral site, the designated home team was based on an annual rotation by conference.
| Playoff participants | ||
| AFC | NFC | |
|---|---|---|
| East winner | [[{{{AFCE}}}]] | [[{{{NFCE}}}]] |
| Central winner | [[{{{AFCC}}}]] | [[{{{NFCC}}}]] |
| West winner | [[{{{AFCW}}}]] | [[{{{NFCW}}}]] |
| Wild card | [[{{{AFCWC}}}]] | [[{{{NFCWC}}}]] |