Follow Us on
NFL Overtime Rules
In the regular season, overtime is one 10 minute period after a short break. There is a coin toss and the winner chooses to receive the kickoff or pick which goal to defend.
Each team now gets at least one possession on offense no matter what happens on the first drive. After both teams have had the ball, the game goes to sudden death and the next score wins.
If the game is still tied when the 10 minutes end, the result is a tie in the regular season. Each team has two timeouts in overtime and coaches cannot use challenge flags because reviews come from the booth.
Playoff Overtime Rules
In the playoffs there are as many overtime periods as needed until someone wins. Each overtime is 15 minutes long instead of 10 and there are short breaks between periods.
Both teams are guaranteed one possession on offense in the postseason even if the first team scores a touchdown. After both teams have had the ball, the next score wins unless time in that period runs out and then they keep playing more periods.
There are no ties in the playoffs so the game continues with more overtime periods until one team is ahead at the end of a drive. The coin toss order flips for a later overtime period so the team that lost the first toss gets the choice.
How the Rules have Changed?
Overtime in the NFL started in 1974 as a 15 minute sudden death period where any score on the first drive ended the game. For many years that meant the team winning the coin toss had a big edge because a quick field goal could end it.
In 2010 the league changed the rule for playoff games so a first drive field goal no longer ended the game. The other team had to get a chance with the ball unless the first drive ended in a touchdown or a safety.
In 2012 that rule extended to the regular season so both playoff games and normal games used the same basic format. The league wanted a bit more fairness while still keeping overtime from dragging too long.
In 2017 the overtime period in the regular season dropped from 15 minutes to 10 minutes. This move was mainly about player safety since fewer snaps means less wear on players.
After a playoff classic between the Bills and Chiefs in early 2022 the league faced heavy criticism because the Bills never got the ball. Owners approved a change that spring that guaranteed both teams a possession in playoff overtime.
In 2025 owners voted to line up the regular season with the postseason so both teams now get the ball in all overtime games. This step made the format more consistent and reduced the power of the coin toss.
Disclaimer
This article summarizes publicly available information regarding NFL overtime rules and historical rule changes. League policies may be updated or modified by the NFL at any time. This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Football League.
