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NFL

What are the overtime rules in the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl?

The controversial overtime matchup between the Bills and Chiefs two seasons ago was a key motivator for the new postseason overtime rules.

Update:
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) celebrates the win against the Buffalo Bills in overtime in the AFC Divisional playoff football game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Denny MedleyUSA TODAY Sports

The NFL added overtime in 1974, and since then, the rules have evolved side by side with those of the game itself.

In last year’s playoffs, the Chiefs’ exciting 42-36 overtime victory over the Bills was one of the greatest games in NFL history. Still, it was also a game that ended in a controversial and disappointing way for many fans: the Chiefs received the overtime kickoff. They scored the game-winning touchdown on the opening possession. Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who had brilliantly during the game, never got to touch the ball in overtime.

After that incident, the League changed its playoff overtime rules in the offseason, and now postseason games cannot end with a touchdown on the opening possession of overtime.

What are the changes to the NFL overtime rules in the postseason?

Now, if a team scores a touchdown on the first possession of overtime, it will line up to kick an extra point or attempt a two-point conversion. That team will then kick off, and the other team will get a chance to score a touchdown.

If the team scores a TD, they will line up for an extra point or two-point conversion of its own, and then the game could be over. An example of this is if the first team kicked an extra point, the second team can attempt a game-ending two-point conversion. But if the score remains tied after both teams’ touchdowns, the team that scored the second touchdown would kick off again, and therefore, it would be sudden death over time.

We are still left with one scenario in which both teams don’t get possession in overtime: if the team kicking off to start overtime scores a safety on the receiving team’s beginning possession. This team kicked off wins without ever possessing the ball.

Unlike the 10-minute-long regular-season overtime, playoff overtime is basically starting a new game: Teams will play 15-minute periods until there is a winner. If there is no winner after two 15-minute periods, there will be another kickoff to start the third overtime period, even though there won’t be a halftime break between periods.

The necessity to go to a third overtime period has never happened in NFL history.

Rules