New Overtime Rule Proposal in the NFL

The NFL has recently released a proposal for new rulings to determine the outcome of a tied game.

Oh, and Donovan McNabb, under these proposed rulings, a regular season game can still end in overtime!





The Current Rule


Currently, the NFL operates overtime with a sudden-death rule: the first team to score wins.

At the onset of overtime, a coin toss takes place, with the visiting team given the opportunity to call the toss.

From then on the game is played regularly until the 15 minute overtime period is complete (in regular season games).

In playoff games and the Super Bowl, 15 minute overtime periods are played until a team scores, ending the game.

Theses overtime rules have been scrutinized and criticized, as many overtime games end with only one team ever having possession of the ball.

The Proposed Rule

The format would be similar with a slight change.

Overtime would again be a 15 minute period (more if necessary in post-season games). A coin toss would take place to determine possession, followed by a kick-off to begin the period.

Here’s where the changes start.

If the first team to score points does so by scoring a touchdown, the game would be over. BUT if the first team to score does so by means of a field goal, the opposing team would be given a possession to match or surpass that score.

This new proposed rule would eliminate what often happens in overtime: a decent kickoff return followed by a short, 40 yard drive which leads to a game-winning field goal.

The possibility for only one team to have possession the entire overtime still exists, but that team must score a touchdown on their opening drive for that scenario to take place.

While this is the NFL’s proposed plan, other plans have arisen on the internet. Here are some that I found interesting.

The College Rule

In college football, each team is given the ball on its opponent’s 25 yard line on alternating possessions.

The teams will alternate possessions until one team can’t match the score of its opponent.
Under this system, while each team is given equal opportunities to score, I feel this takes out an important part of football: special teams.

Under the college system, there is no chance for a great kickoff team to pin the opponent deep or a great return game to set up the offense with excellent field position.

Special teams are often overlooked, and therefore can often be keys to victory.

Modified sudden death

This version states that if the first team to score does so with a touchdown, the opponent would get one possession to match that touchdown.

If both teams score touchdowns on the opening drive, the game would then become sudden death with the next team to score deemed the winner.

While this version brings the special teams back into play, it still has the sudden-death situation, the factor complained about in the current ruling.

The shootout

This version is similar to the college rule, with one small change…

1st and goal from the 10.

And you have to go for two when you score a touchdown.

This version, while quite possibly very exciting, would not only take away the special teams aspect, but would automatically put defenses’ backs against the wall from the onset of overtime.

In the pass-happy score-happy league the NFL is evolving into, this may be a legitimate possibility one day.


Tell us what you think!

Do you like the current NFL overtime ruling? Do you like the proposed change? Let your voice be heard…