What are NFL overtime rules for regular and postseason play?

While extra football is always fun, even die-hard fans can have a hard time keeping up with the NFL's evolving overtime rules.

From 1974 to 2010, tie games were decided with a 15-minute sudden-death period. In 2010, the NFL implemented a "modified sudden death," where a first-possession touchdown would end the game but, after a first-possession field goal, the opposing team would also get an opportunity to possess the ball. In 2017, the NFL shortened the overtime period to 10 minutes.

The most recent change came in 2022. After the Kansas City Chiefs' 42-36 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round, NFL owners approved a rule change that ensures both teams get a chance to possess the ball during overtime of a playoff game.

Given all of the recent changes, let's go over the NFL's updated overtime rules.

What are the NFL's regular-season overtime rules?

The following overtime rules come directly from the NFL's football operations site:

• 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.

What are the NFL's postseason overtime rules?

Since playoff games cannot end in a tie, the overtime rules are slightly different. Again, these rules come directly from the NFL's football operations site:

• 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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