2008–09 NFL playoffs
| Dates | January 3 – February 1, 2009 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | 2008 | ||||
| Teams | 12 | ||||
| Games played | 11 | ||||
| Super Bowl XLIII site | |||||
| Defending champions | New York Giants | ||||
| Champion | Pittsburgh Steelers | ||||
| Runner-up | Arizona Cardinals | ||||
| Conference runners-up | |||||
| |||||
The National Football League playoffs for the 2008 season began on January 3, 2009. The postseason tournament concluded with the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, 27–23, on February 1, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
This was the first time since the 1979 NFL season where neither of the first-seeded teams made it to their respective championships.