NFL overtime rules, explained: Guide to 2025 rule changes, differences from NCAA football, controversies and more

David Suggs

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The NFL has shown a willingness to alter its rulebook to foster intrigue.

Overtime has long proven one of the NFL's biggest boons. The sudden-death nature of the period can make for an enticing watch, especially in games that feature some of the sport's brightest talents.

But it's not infallible. The league has taken steps to trim away some of the frame's fat in recent seasons, shortening the additional period and allowing for both teams to have possession in postseason games. In 2025, the NFL issued another amendment aimed at captivating the masses.

With that, here's what you need to know about the NFL's overtime rules for the 2025 season.

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NFL overtime rules changes for 2025

In 2025, the league added another wrinkle to its OT rulebook. NFL teams approved a rule aligning playoff and regular season overtime rules. Now, both teams will be granted an opportunity to possess the ball regardless of whether the first team scores a touchdown during regular season games. The only way a first possession can end the game is if the defense records a pick-six or a safety.

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NFL overtime rules regular season

Let's take a look at the official NFL rules for overtime in the regular season.

  • 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.

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NFL overtime rules playoffs

The NFL implemented new overtime rules for playoff games in the 2023 postseason. The rules are the same as the ones used in regular season games except regarding ties. Overtime playoff games cannot end in a tie. They will go on until a winning score is recorded. Here's a closer look at the official rules for the postseason.

  • If the score is still tied at the end of an overtime period — or if the second team’s initial possession has not ended — the teams will play another overtime period. Play will continue regardless of how many overtime periods are needed for a winner to be determined.
  • There will be a two-minute intermission between each overtime period. There will not be a halftime intermission after the second period.
  • The captain who lost the first overtime coin toss will either choose to possess the ball or select which goal his team will defend, unless the team that won the coin toss deferred that choice.
  • Each team will have an opportunity to possess the ball in overtime.
  • Each team gets three timeouts during a half.
  • The same timing rules that apply at the end of the second and fourth regulation periods also apply at the end of a second or fourth overtime period.
  • If there is still no winner at the end of a fourth overtime period, there will be another coin toss, and play will continue until a winner is declared.

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What is sudden death in NFL overtime?

Sudden death refers to an overtime period where the first team to score is declared the victor. It is one of football's signature idioms and was an accurate reflection of overtime rules for almost 40 years. In 2010, things changed, though. The league announced that field goals were no longer considered valuable enough to end a game on the first possession of overtime. If a team recorded a field goal first, the other team would be granted possession and given a chance to knot things up — or score a game-ending touchdown.

The league has amended its rulebook more times than most in the years after its 2010 changes. But sudden-death isn't all that applicable nowadays, outside of if a team records a pick-six or safety on the opening drive of OT.

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How do ties work in the NFL?

Ties are not all that common in the world of the NFL. They only take place during regular season games when two teams match each other during the 10-minute overtime period. So, if two teams combine for two field goals during overtime and fail to score again before the end of regulation, they will be handed a tie.

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NFL overtime differences from college football

While the NFL and college football share a great deal of similarities, they are also independent entities to one another. Nowhere is that more evident than in their respective overtime rulebooks. Here's what you need to know.

Clock vs. No clock

NFL overtime games feature a 10-minute clock; teams are tasked with scoring more than their opponent in 10 minutes. In the postseason, the clock resets for each passing overtime period until a winner is declared.

The college game, meanwhile, includes no clock. Overtime periods aren't marked by the amount of time left in a frame but by whether a team scores on not. If both teams keep on scoring, the game will continue. If neither team is able to outgun the other, the game goes on until someone stumbles upon a score.

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Tie vs. No tie

Regular-season games in the NFL can end in a tie. That's not the case in college, where games go on infinitely until one team tallies more points than the other.

Overtime format

The NFL's regular season and postseason overtime rules are fairly similar save for the fact that regular season games can end in ties and postseason matches do not. Each side is permitted one possession (at a minimum) to score. Assuming a defensive touchdown or safety isn't awarded, the team playing defense on the opening possession is granted a drive to score. If the score is level after two possessions (one each), the game goes into sudden-death overtime where the first team to record an additional point is named winner. If time runs out before another team scores — and it's a regular season game — the game is declared a draw. 

College football, meanwhile, sees teams alternate possessions starting on the 25-yard line. If the first team has a turnover that doesn't result in a touchdown for the defense, then the other team will get a possession on the 25-yard line to try and score. In any given overtime period, it comes down to which team can score more points. If they tie in any way, overtime continues. Starting in the third overtime period, teams don't get a true possession and must alternate two-point conversion attempts.

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Most memorable NFL overtime games

Some of the most memorable games that went into overtime influences some of the rule changes over the years.

Aug. 28, 1955: Rams 23, Giants 17

1958 NFL Championship game: Colts 23, Giants 17

1971 AFC Divisional: Dolphins 27, Chiefs 24

1992 AFC Divisional: Bills 41, Oilers 35

Super Bowl 51: Patriots 34, Falcons 28

2022 AFC Divisional: Chiefs 42, Bills 36 

Super Bowl 58: Chiefs 25, 49ers 22

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History of NFL overtime rules changes

The first overtime game in NFL history occurred on Aug. 28, 1955. The Rams and Giants squared off using the sudden-death rules, which had been invented by game promoter Harry Glickman, to determine the game. The Rams won it, and the overtime format was adopted and eventually used during the 1958 NFL championship.

The format went unchanged for 16 years before being implemented into regular season games. The edict was simple enough to follow: the first team to score in overtime was crowned victors.

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In 2010, the league amended its rulebook for postseason games. Field goals no longer could end games on the first possession. Only a first-possession touchdown could bring playoff games to a close.

Two years later, that change was expanded to preseason and regular season games.

In 2017, the league shrunk the length of the overtime period from 15 minutes to 10.

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The past half-decade has seen more overtime changes take shape. In 2021, the NFL formally banned overtime in preseason games in the hopes of making the game safer. One year later, the league announced both teams will be granted possession of the ball in overtime during playoff games.

In 2025, the NFL aligned the regular season and postseason overtime rulebooks, granting both sides the opportunity to possess the ball in OT, regardless of whether the first team scores a touchdown.

Sudden death only kicks in after the first team has had its possession, regardless of whether it scores a touchdown.

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What players and coaches say about NFL overtime rules

Players and coaches rarely complained regarding the league's prior overtime rules. When the Bills fell to the Chiefs in the 2022 AFC Divisional — a contest that saw Allen stay on the sidelines as Kansas City marched down the field on its opening possession — Allen downplayed the moment.

"The rules are what they are. I can't complain about that because if it was the other way around, we'd be celebrating too," Allen said. "It is what it is at this point. We just didn't make enough plays tonight."

Some have been confused by the lack of alignment in relation to the postseason and regular season overtime rulebooks. That came to surface when the Niners fell to the Chiefs in Super Bowl 58.

"I didn't even know about the new playoff overtime rule, so it was a surprise to me," Arik Armstead said. "I didn't even really know what was going on in terms of that."

The league's recent change should make that process more streamlined in the years to come.

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David Suggs

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.