Two more NFL teams — the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens — clinched their spot in the playoffs during Week 16.
That means five more players with Utah ties are guaranteed to make the postseason this year.
On the Packers side, that includes former Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, as well as former BYU players Zayne Anderson and Chris Brooks.
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With the Ravens, former BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy and former Utah safety Marcus Williams are headed to the postseason again.
If the playoffs started today, 36 Utah ties would be playoff bound — that includes 26 players on active rosters, five on practice squads and four more on injured reserve.
Of those, 22 are on teams that have already clinched their spot in the postseason, while the other 14 are on teams that would be in the playoffs if they started today.
That leads us to Week 17.
During Christmas week, former BYU wide receiver Puka Nacua could secure a spot in the NFL postseason, if he and the Los Angeles Rams beat the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks lose to the Chicago Bears.
For six Utah ties with the Denver Broncos — five former Utes and a former Cougar — the Broncos simply need to beat the Cincinnati Bengals and they’re in.
Denver lost last week, though, and a loss to the Bengals would put their once-high odds for a playoff spot in jeopardy.
Of the 36 players with Utah ties who are projected to make the playoffs at this point, 13 played at the University of Utah, 10 for BYU and three for Utah State.
Here’s a look at each of the Utah ties on NFL rosters this year who are on teams that have either clinched a playoff spot or are currently projected to make the postseason, with two weeks left in the regular season.
Players are on a team’s active roster unless otherwise specified.
Number in front of team indicates what their seed would be if the playoffs started today:
1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)
2. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
4. Houston Texans (9-6)
5. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
1. Detroit Lions (13-2)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)
5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
6. Green Bay Packers (11-4)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
7. Denver Broncos (9-6)
3. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)
7. Washington Commanders (10-5)
AFC: Indianapolis Colts (7-8), Miami Dolphins (7-8), Cincinnati Bengals (7-8).
NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7), Seattle Seahawks (8-7).
AFC: New York Jets (4-11), Cleveland Browns (3-12), Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12), Tennessee Titans (3-12), New England Patriots (3-12), Las Vegas Raiders (3-12).
NFC: Dallas Cowboys (7-8), Arizona Cardinals (7-8), San Francisco 49ers (6-9), New Orleans Saints (5-10), Chicago Bears (4-11), Carolina Panthers (4-11), New York Giants (2-13).
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