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.
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.
Teams that have clinched a playoff spot
Number in front of team indicates what their seed would be if the playoffs started today:
AFC
1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)
- Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU and Orem High
- Siaki Ika, DT, East High (on practice squad)
2. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
- Cole Bishop, S, Utah
- Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State
- Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
- Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah
- Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State, Snow College and East High
- Eric Rowe, S, Utah (on practice squad)
4. Houston Texans (9-6)
- Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham High
- Kedon Slovis, QB, BYU (on practice squad)
5. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
- Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU
- Marcus Williams, S, Utah
NFC
1. Detroit Lions (13-2)
- Tim Patrick, WR, Utah
- Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills High
- Sione Vaki, RB, Utah
- Jonah Williams, DL, Weber State
2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)
- Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah and Timpview High
5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
- Taki Taimani, DL, East High (on injured reserve)
- Max Tooley, LB, BYU and Bountiful High (on practice squad)
6. Green Bay Packers (11-4)
- Zayne Anderson, S, BYU and Stansbury High
- Chris Brooks, RB, BYU
- Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
Teams that would be in if the playoffs started this week
AFC
6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
- Simi Fehoko, WR, Brighton High (on injured reserve)
- Alohi Gilman, S, Orem High (on injured reserve)
7. Denver Broncos (9-6)
- Cody Barton, LB, Utah and Brighton High
- Garett Bolles, OT, Utah, Snow College and Westlake High
- Jonah Elliss, LB, Utah
- Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah
- Zach Wilson, QB, BYU and Corner Canyon High
- Thomas Yassmin, TE, Utah (on practice squad)
NFC
3. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
- Puka Nacua, WR, BYU and Orem High
4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)
- Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU
- Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial High
- Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah
7. Washington Commanders (10-5)
- Michael Davis, CB, BYU
- Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State
Other NFL teams still in playoff contention
AFC: Indianapolis Colts (7-8), Miami Dolphins (7-8), Cincinnati Bengals (7-8).
NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7), Seattle Seahawks (8-7).
NFL teams that are eliminated from playoff contention
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).