NFL 2025 playoffs: Neil Reynolds’ biggest storylines as Kansas City Chiefs chase Super Bowl history

Just 14 teams remain on the road to Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans, and there are storylines everywhere you look – Sky Sports NFL presenter Neil Reynolds picks out his biggest heading into the playoffs…

This is truly the most wonderful time of year in the NFL, the stakes could not be higher – win and you move on, lose and you go home. It’s as simple as that.

Some of the most famous plays in history have been made in the playoffs, legacies have been built in the playoffs – look at Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes.

This is the time when the stars shine the brightest and when it really counts.

Here are the five storylines I’ll be looking out for…

Match winners

This playoff is filled with match-winners, players who can take over a game on their own in one or two magical moments and either flip the script or power a favoured team to victory. Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, even Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams on their day.

Certainly those quarterbacks can dictate what happens in games. Even Jared Goff has got red-hot at times, although I think it’s more of a collective with the Detroit Lions.

Saquon Barkley can take over games for the Philadelphia Eagles, as can Derrick Henry for the Baltimore Ravens on the ground.

You will also see the possibility of Justin Jefferson getting red-hot, or even TJ Watt leading the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense to bail out a struggling offense.

These are the sort of stars who can win games on their own.

Redemption quarterbacks

Every playoff season has storylines that capture the imagination and tug at your heartstrings. We have three quarterbacks who have completely rebuilt their careers having been given up on by at least one team.

Jared Goff, who led the Lions to their 15-2 record – let’s face it, the Rams didn’t want him anymore, I’m not sure the Lions really wanted him at first, that was a salary dump and a grab for draft picks. Goff has been outstanding.

Who would have thought Sam Darnold would lead the Minnesota Vikings to 14 wins on his fourth NFL team, and I think Baker Mayfield has shown, on his fourth team, why he was a first overall pick in the NFL Draft for the Cleveland Browns in 2018. Mayfield has been sensational and sometimes willed his team to victory.

If you love an underdog story, a turning-a-career-around tale then you will be rooting for Goff, Darnold and Mayfield in the NFC.

Rookie play-callers ready to shine

It’s not all about the veteran quarterbacks, there are a couple of rookies in here that have been action-packed and fun to watch for much of the season.

Both of these quarterbacks are mirror-images of each other, both have maturity, both have lively arms and can hurt defenses with their legs. And more than that, they have both given hope to entire cities.

Washington was a franchise on its knees and they have been turned into a 12-win team by the arrival of Jayden Daniels. Denver were not supposed to be anywhere near the playoffs this season and they have 10 wins under Bo Nix.

These two quarterbacks may not go all the way this time around, but they will be in the playoffs for many years to come.

Veteran coaches

When Sean McVay was hired as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams at the age of 31 it started a barrage of young head coaches coming into the NFL, and there are many doing very well across the league. You can look at DeMeco Ryans in Houston, Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota, even Dan Campbell in Detroit as somebody new to being an NFL head coach.

There are veteran coaches who are tried and tested, especially in the AFC: you have Andy Reid in Kansas City, John Harbaugh of the Ravens, Jim Harbaugh of the Chargers, Sean Payton has the Broncos ahead of schedule, and then Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh.

You have these grey-beard coaches who have been on this big stage, and that helps, that matters at this time of year – it’s not always a young man’s game!

History beckons

As we go into the first round of the playoffs we will whittle 14 teams down to two who are left standing in New Orleans on February 9.

These are the moments that can define careers, where you can write your name into the NFL history books.

Will Kansas City be the first team ever to three-peat? Sometimes they just look inevitable, I don’t think they are going to go quietly in the AFC.

Will it be a first Super Bowl win for Buffalo, Detroit or Minnesota? Those teams have passionate fanbases who won’t want to dare to dream until they stand under that confetti in Louisiana in the Superdome.

It is a wide-open race to the Super Bowl. The AFC is pretty top-heavy with Kansas City, Buffalo and Baltimore, but look out for the Los Angeles Chargers as well. In the NFC I think it’s between Detroit and Philadelphia.

It’s going to be fantastic, there will be plays and moments we talk about for years to come and a champion will be crowned – I cannot wait! Enjoy the playoffs, we have every game for you live on Sky Sports.

When is the Super Bowl?

Wild Card Weekend will take place from Saturday January 11-Monday January 13 before the playoffs enter the Divisional Round on Saturday January 18 and Sunday January 19, at which point the respective No 1 seeds will join the action following their bye.

It is then onto the AFC and NFC Championship Games on Sunday January 26, before Super Bowl LIX takes place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9.

It will be the 11th time the Super Bowl has been hosted in New Orleans, the first time since 2013, and the eighth game to be held at the Caesars Superdome.

Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar will headline the Super Bowl half-time show.