The Big Lead

NFL's Wild Card Weekend undergoes quiet name change

By Joe Lago

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) looks downfield as he is pressured by Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99). Allen threw for 177 yards and a touchdown. HE also ran for a touchdown but the Bills lost to the Denver 24-22.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) looks downfield as he is pressured by Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99). Allen threw for 177 yards and a touchdown. HE also ran for a touchdown but the Bills lost to the Denver 24-22. / Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The best part of the NFL season is about to begin — the postseason — but there's something different about the opening round of the playoffs this year.

They're not "super" anymore.

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The first round of the NFL postseason had been called "Super Wild Card Weekend" since 2020, when the league adopted a new wild-card format with two more qualifiers and six opening-round games. Without advance notice, "Super" was dropped this year.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reached out to the NFL about the change, and he got the explanation in an email from the league.

"‘Super’ was used the last four seasons to help differentiate from the previous 30 years of the Saturday/Sunday schedule and further drive awareness of the three days of Wild Card games," the league wrote. "It served its purpose as fans have responded well. While it has been retired, there’s no doubt the Wild Card games will continue to be super.”

ESPN's Pat McAfee was bothered enough by the name change to also seek answers from the NFL. "In 2025, I left a voice mail on somebody's office phone and saying, 'Hey, enough. It's called Super Wild Card Weekend," he said on his show Thursday.

"The NFL said the reason why we added the 'Super' to the beginning of Wild Card Weekend is because we added two more teams," McAfee said. "Well, let's keep it. And now we can even go to Stupendous Wild Card Weekend if you want to take it to the next step."

It just goes to show the NFL is in a no-win situation no matter what the issue is and what it decides to do. The league will get scrutinized and criticized.

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