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Super Bowl champion head coach Tony Dungy took issue with the NFL’s scheduling of its playoff games in the Divisional Round.
NFL fans eagerly awaited the result of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans game on Monday night with the winner hitting the road to take on the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Two Divisional Round games will be played on Saturday and two others will be played on Sunday. Both conference championship games are played on the following Sunday.
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Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts reacts after giving up a first quarter touchdown to the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI on Feb. 4, 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Dungy wrote on social media that the schedule was unfair.
“NFL playoff scheduling is not fair. It might produce good ratings but it’s not fair,” he wrote on X. “This late in the season recovery time is crucial and it is not given equally. Rams & Bears played Saturday games. They will face each other on Sunday with an extra day of rest. 49ers played on Sunday and will face Seattle on Saturday-short week of recovery. Why?
“In the AFC the Bills will have to travel to Denver on a short week. Why? Because there’s a Monday night AFC Wild Card game. The Texans play Pittsburgh. The winner will automatically have a short week and travel to New England. Why?”
Dungy pointed out that Monday night games do not take place in Week 18 because of the problems it could create for a potential playoff team.
Josh Hines-Allen of the Jacksonville Jaguars sacks Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter in the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at EverBank Stadium on Jan. 11, 2026 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
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Yet, the Wild Card Round matchups were held on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
“Several years ago, the league did away with Monday Night games in Week 18 of the regular season because it created a disadvantage if one of those teams made the playoffs. Now we create that disadvantage,” Dungy added.
“The Wild Card round should be 3 games on Saturday and 3 games on Sunday. Then try to schedule the Divisional games so the teams have equal rest. Don’t force San Francisco, Buffalo and Houston or Pittsburgh to play the most important game of their season on a short week just for TV ratings. That is not fair!”
Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass during the second quarter of the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Jan. 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)
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The safety of players is surely going to come up in the offseason as the NFL may push for another game in the regular season and push the Super Bowl back.
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