JACKSONVILLE, FL - AUGUST 10: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs screams prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
NFL owners approved a rule change on Tuesday to allow both teams to possess the ball in overtime, making the playoff overtime rules uniform for all games. The proposal came from the Philadelphia Eagles. The NFL announced this rule change and several others for the 2025 season.
The only difference between the playoff format and the regular season is the duration of overtime, which will stay at ten minutes for the regular season. The proposal for the new overtime rules passed 32-0 among NFL owners during the league’s annual meeting at Palm Beach, Florida.
There has been demand among many NFL fans for changes to the overtime format for a long time. The overtime playoff rules were first changed in 2022, following the Kansas City Chiefs’ 42-36 win over the Buffalo Bills during that year’s divisional round.
The league has also approved other rule changes. Touchbacks will now be marked at the 35-yard line to increase the return rate on kickoffs.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!
A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.
Changes to replay assist have been added as well. The on-site replay official will now be allowed to reverse flags for hits to a defenseless player, facemask, horsecollar, tripping and roughing/running into the kicker.
The Oklahoma City Thunder dropped their first preseason game to the New Orleans Pelicans, 116-110,…
Dustin May was named the starter for the Milwaukee Brewers after their Game 2 win,…
In a battle between two of the sport's best pitchers, Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw an absolute…
At the end of this summer, Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international soccer after…
Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand left the game last night against the Los Angeles Kings…
Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Lane Johnson announced before the season that 2026 would be his…