The NFL is altering its overtime format ... again. The league approved two rule changes Tuesday at is annual meeting. Overtime is being overhauled in the regular season and replay assist will expand to include some new plays, per multiple reports.
While the league is changing its overtime rules, they should look familiar. In 2025, both teams will receive a possession in overtime during regular season games. It's the same overtime format the NFL used in the postseason in 2024.
The NFL’s owners have passed a rule change that will allow both teams to possess the ball in overtime during the regular season, per source.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 1, 2025
The overtime period will remain just 10 minutes.
The initial rule proposal pushed for regular-season overtime to be 15 minutes, but was amended down to 10 minutes.
The league's overtime format became a popular topic of discussion following the Kansas City Chiefs' 42-36 win over the Buffalo Bills in 2022. After tying the game at the end of regulation, the Chiefs won the coin toss in overtime and scored on their first possession. The Bills were eliminated from the playoffs without touching the ball in overtime.
Months later, the NFL altered its overtime policy for the postseason. Under that policy — which will now apply to the regular season following Tuesday's vote — both teams were guaranteed an overtime possession during the postseason. If the score is still tied after both teams have a possession in overtime, the next team to score wins the game.
In the Bills-Chiefs example above, the new policy would have allowed the Bills to get another possession after the Chiefs' overtime touchdown. If the Bills scored a touchdown on their possession to make the score 42-42, the next team to score points would win the game.
That will now be the case during regular-season games, though with one small, but significant, different. If both teams are still tied after 10 minutes of play, the game will result in a tie. Playoff games can't end in a tie, for obvious reasons.
NFL expands use of replay assist
The second rule change for the 2025 season involves which penalties can be subject to replay review. Under the new policy, "hits on a defenseless player, grabbing the facemask, performing a horse-collar tackle, tripping, and running into or roughing the kicker" can be reviewed, according to Pro Football Talk.
That proposal comes with a catch, however. Those penalties can only be reviewed if officials throw a flag on the play. If a coach believes the flag was not warranted, they can challenge and potentially have the penalty overturned. In cases where no flag is thrown by an official on a play, coaches will not be eligible to ...
