NFL
The overtime rules for 2025 NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl: Ensuring fair play and exciting OT
A controversial meeting between the Bills and Chiefs in 2022 forced the league to make one big change to OT regulations.

The National Football League introduced sudden-death overtime in 1974 and the rules governing the extra phase of the game have evolved greatly over the past 50 years.
The most recent change came in 2022 in the aftermath of a controversial Divisional round meeting between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs’ thrilling 42-36 overtime victory over the Bills has been heralded as one of the greatest games in NFL history. However the Chiefs' win was partially overshadowed by the fact that they received the overtime kick-off, handing them a huge advantage.
The Chiefs scored the game-winning touchdown on the opening possession, ensuring that Bills quarterback Josh Allen didn’t even get a touch of the ball in overtime. After that incident the NFL changed the playoff overtime rules to ensure that games cannot end with a touchdown on the opening possession of overtime. Both teams are now guaranteed at least one possession in OT.
This change proved crucial in last year’s Super Bowl when the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in overtime. The 49ers had first possession and scored a field goal but the Chiefs regained the ball and were able to win the game with a touchdown.
Changes to the postseason NFL overtime rules
The NFL’s changes to overtime rules for postseason games was designed to address concerns about fairness in high-stakes situations. Here’s a closer look at the changes...
Equal opportunity for possession after a touchdown: If the team with the first possession of overtime scores a touchdown, they can opt to kick an extra point or attempt a two-point conversion. They must then kick off, giving the opposing team an opportunity to score their own touchdown. The second team can win outright with a successful two-point conversion if the first team opted for a standard extra point.

Sudden death: If both teams score touchdowns and the score is tied, the game transitions to a sudden death format. The team that scored last will kick off, and the next score – whether a touchdown, field goal, or safety – will end the game.
Safety on the opening possession: There is still one scenario in which only one team could possess the ball in postseason overtime. If the receiving team on the first overtime kickoff is pinned in their own end zone and the kicking team scores a safety the game ends immediately, with the kicking team winning.
Extended playoff overtime: Unlike the 10-minute overtime periods in the regular season, playoff overtime consists of full 15-minute periods. This continues until a winner is determined. If no winner emerges after two 15-minute periods, another kickoff initiates a third overtime period.

What is the longest overtime in NFL history?
Although the rules allow for it, there has never been a third overtime period in NFL history. Most overtimes are concluded within the first period, with a small percentage extending slightly into a second. One, however, lasted longer.
A 1971 meeting between the Dolphins and the Chiefs lasted over 80 minutes. The game finished 24-24 at the end of the regulation 60 minutes and the first period of OT went scoreless as both teams failed in their attempts to convert a field goal.
The game dragged into a second overtime period and was only brought to a close when, midway through that second period, Miami’s Garo Yepremian scored a 37-yard field goal to clinch the win. The Dolphins went on to lose to the Cowboys in that year’s Super Bowl but they came powering back, winning the next two championships and recording the only perfect season in NFL history.
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