New NFL Overtime Rules Take Effect This Playoff Weekend

When the NFL playoffs begin this weekend, they will feature a new rule if the game happens to go to an overtime period. The new NFL overtime rules will look like this: if a team wins the coin toss and receives the overtime kickoff, it does not automatically win the game if they kick a field goal. The team that kicked off then gets a possession. If the trailing team also kicks a field goal, the game continues. If it scores a touchdown, it wins.

This is a great thing, and it's long overdue! To play sixty minutes of football and have it end without both teams having a shot to score is wrong, so this is a welcome change!

“It’s another component of a football game,” said Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy, whose Packers are at Philadelphia on Sunday. “I clearly understand why the rule was changed, the fairness to give both teams the opportunity to have the ball. I don’t think it’s a huge deal.”

Team owners passed the new NFL overtime rules only for the playoffs, but reserved the right to add it to the regular season if it works well. College football has been doing this for years, and it's great to see the NFL doing it for  the playoffs and giving it consideration for longer term.US News Paper

New NFL Overtime Rules Take Effect This Playoff Weekend