The NFL owners passed a resolution to change the AFC playoff rules on Friday after the league officially declared the Bills-Bengals Week 17 game a no contest in the wake of the medical emergency suffered by Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin. Though the league did its best to accommodate rather unique and sensitive circumstances, some have found themselves confounded by the decision to bypass already agreed upon rules for a new system.
For instance, the Bengals expressed disappointment that the NFL didn’t follow the rulebook for canceled games, which states that playoff seeding will be determined by win percentage in the standings. Instead, the resolution included a note that if the Ravens beat the Bengals this weekend and then those two teams are set to play in the playoffs, the location of the postseason game will be determined by a coin flip. That means even though Cincinnati will have a better win percentage and be declared division champs, the Ravens will still have an opportunity to host a playoff game.
After 25 owners voted in favor of changing the rules mid-season, Falcons CEO and Competition Committee chairperson Rich McKay addressed the lingering controversy about the decision, explaining that the rules as written don’t always apply to every nuanced circumstance. As a result, the league opted to take action.
