FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Overtime will look different in 2025.
NFL owners passed a rule change at the Annual League Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday that will guarantee each team possesses the ball in overtime during the regular season.
The overtime rule change was originally proposed by the NFL's Competition Committee to include the following language: "aligns the postseason and regular season overtime rules by granting both teams an opportunity to possess the ball regardless of the outcome of the first possession, subject to a 10-minute overtime period in the regular season."
The NFL hasn't changed its overtime rules for the regular season since 2017, when it shortened the length of the period from 15 minutes to 10 minutes. Below are the previous overtime rules for the NFL regular season listed on the league’s Football Operations website. The latest change would impact the second bullet point below and ensure that each team has a possession even if the team that gets the ball first scores a touchdown.
- At the end of regulation, the referee will toss a coin to determine which team will possess the ball first in overtime. The visiting team captain will call the toss.
- No more than one 10-minute period will follow a three-minute intermission. Each team must possess, or have the opportunity to possess, the ball. The exception: if the team that gets the ball first scores a touchdown on the opening possession.
- Sudden death play — where the game ends on any score (safety, field goal or touchdown) — continues until a winner is determined.
- Each team gets two timeouts.
- The point after try is not attempted if the game ends on a touchdown.
- If the score is still tied at the end of the overtime period, the result of the game will be recorded as a tie.
- There are no instant replay coach's challenges; all reviews will be initiated by the replay official.
With the change, regular-season overtime rules regarding possession will match those of the postseason.
The Falcons had three games go into overtime last season – a 36-30 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5, a 30-24 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 17 and a 44-38 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 18. Weeks 5 and 17 were prime-time games.
Atlanta won the overtime coin toss against Tampa Bay and went on to score a walk-off touchdown within four plays when quarterback Kirk Cousins completed a 45-yard pass to wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge.
The Falcons did not win the overtime coin toss against either the Commanders or Panthers. Both times, their opponent scored a game-deciding touchdown on their sole possession.
