NFL overtime can turn a regular game into an entirely different kind of contest. One play can change the game, one defensive stop can make the difference and a game that seemed decided late in the fourth quarter can suddenly become a nail-biter.
In recent years, the league has changed its overtime system, so it’s important for fans to get a handle on the current rules instead of relying on explanations from the past. While the format for regular-season overtime and the postseason system share some basic principles, there are big differences in how far games can go and how a winner is finally determined.
How NFL overtime works
The NFL overtime format is designed to determine a winner when the score is tied at the end of regulation. A coin toss is held before the start of the overtime period to determine which club has first choice of possession or direction.
Instead of just starting another normal quarter, the teams then play under overtime rules. The biggest difference is the number of possessions teams can get and what happens if the first team scores.
The rules have changed as the NFL has tried to find a balance of excitement and fairness, especially when a team gets the opening possession and scores right away.
NFL regular-season overtime rules
In the regular season there is one 10 minute overtime period. The game could end before the clock runs out if the rules yield a winning result, but if the score is tied after the overtime period, the game concludes in a tie.
If, in overtime, the team that gets the ball first scores a touchdown on its first possession, the other team now also gets a chance to have the ball. The change means that an opening drive touchdown no longer ends the game automatically.
If the first team scores a touchdown, the second team gets a chance to answer back. the other team scores a touchdown, the next team to score wins.
If the first drive results in a field goal, the other team can win with a touchdown. it only gets a field goal, the game goes on and the next score wins it.
What happens if the regular-season game is still tied?
Unlike playoff games, regular-season contests do not continue indefinitely. If neither team establishes a winning score before the 10-minute overtime period expires, the game is recorded as a tie. This is one of the clearest differences between regular-season and postseason football.
For teams, a tie affects the standings differently from a victory or defeat. For fans and bettors, it also means that overtime does not guarantee that every NFL game will eventually produce a winner.
NFL playoff overtime rules
Overtime rules are different in the postseason because playoff games are not allowed to end in ties. Playoff overtime periods are 15 minutes long and the game continues through additional overtime periods if necessary. The objective is to keep playing until one side prevails. With the current postseason format, both teams get to possess the ball in the first overtime period, regardless of whether the first team scores a touchdown.
If the first team scores a touchdown, the other team gets the ball. the second team scores a touchdown, the next score wins.
If the first team scores a field goal, the second team can win with a touchdown or extend the contest by matching the field goal. After each team gets a chance in overtime, the next score wins.
Why playoff overtime is different
The biggest reason for the difference is easy: Playoff games have to find a winner. There are occasional tie games in the NFL schedule and standings, so a regular-season tie is possible. There is no such thing in the postseason, because one team has to move on.
That makes playoff overtime potentially much longer than regular season overtime. If neither team scores in the first overtime period, the teams begin another period and continue playing until one team wins..
Overtime scoring explained
Overtime scoring is the same as regulation scoring, touchdowns, field goals, extra points, but the effect of those scores depends on when they occur. For example, a touchdown on the first possession of the playoffs doesn’t automatically end the game. The other side gets a chance to respond. This is an important point for anyone following NFL games because older explanations of overtime might describe rules that are no longer in effect.
What happens after a field goal?
One of the more interesting overtime situations is the field goal. On the first possession, if the winning team can score a field goal then the other team can win with a touchdown. If the other team scores a field goal, the game continues because neither team has acquired a winning lead after both teams have had the ball.
The order of possession matters even more in playoff overtime because teams keep playing additional overtime periods until one team wins.
Can an NFL playoff game end in a tie?
No. There is no such thing as a tie in playoff games. If the game remains tied after one overtime period, the teams begin a second overtime period. Play continues between the teams until one team wins according to the overtime rules. This has led to some of the craziest finishes in NFL history, particularly if games reach the waning moments of overtime and fatigue kicks in.
How does overtime affect strategy?
The way coaches make decisions about fourth downs, field position and possession changes in overtime. The first coin toss can be meaningful strategically, as the team that gets the ball first gets to set the tone offensively first. At the same time, coaches must prepare for the possibility that the opponent will get possession after a touchdown, making NFL coaching strategies especially important when managing overtime situations.
Field position is so important because a good defensive stop can place an offense in a much shorter distance to scoring range.
Regular season vs playoffs: Key differences
The easiest way to keep the distinction in mind is to focus on three things: time, ties and possession rules. Overtime in the regular season lasts 10 minutes. In the playoffs, they last 15 minutes. If a regular-season game remains tied after overtime, the NFL records the game as a tie. In the playoffs, the teams continue playing until one team wins.
The postseason also guaranties both teams a possession in the first overtime, even if the first team to get the ball in overtime scores a touchdown. These differences could extend and change the strategic landscape of playoff overtimes relative to the regular season.
Football isn’t the only major North American sport with different overtime formats for regular-season and playoff games. Hockey also changes its overtime structure depending on the stage of the season. Fans interested in comparing the two systems can read our NHL overtime rules guide or explore more coverage in our National Hockey League (NHL) section.
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