Following an 18-week season, 14 former Wisconsin Badgers are officially slated to suit up for the 2025 NFL Playoffs.
With the Denver Broncos’ 38-0 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the playoff field is officially set. A total of 14 teams, seven from each conference, will appear in the postseason starting next weekend.
Of those 14 squads, nine feature Wisconsin football alumni. David Edwards (Bills), Kevin Zeitler (Lions), Rob Havenstein (Rams), Tyler Biadasz (Commanders) and Michael Deiter (Commanders) will lace up as former Wisconsin offensive linemen in the playoffs. Whether it be guard, center, or tackle, fans can find the greatest number of former Badgers on the offensive line this postseason.
Elsewhere on offense, running back Dare Ogunbowale (Texans) will return to the playoffs for the second straight season, while quarterback Russell Wilson (Steelers) will make his first playoff appearance since Jan. 9, 2021.
At linebacker, the most star-studded position for UW alumni this season, Leo Chenal (Chiefs) will look to collect his third consecutive Super Bowl, Andrew Van Ginkel (Vikings) will aim to make a deep run with Minnesota, Zack Baun (Eagles) will face the hungry Green Bay Packers in Philadelphia, and the group of T.J. Watt, Nick Herbig, Keeanu Benton and Isaiahh Loudermilk (Steelers) will all return to the postseason under head coach Mike Tomlin.
The player with arguably the highest chance to advance to the Super Bowl is Chenal on the No. 1-seed Chiefs. Van Ginkel, Baun and Zeitler could each challenge the two-time defending champion if their teams come out of the NFC.