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The NFL Is Officially Changing Its Regular Season Overtime Rule

Originally posted on The Spun | By Hunter Hodies | Last updated Apr 1, 2025 10:10 AM ET

The NFL's regular season overtime rules are changing once again in 2025.

Over the years, fans have seen the league change its OT rules for the regular season and playoffs. The regular season used to have full sudden-death rules before the NFL changed it to where if a team kicks a field goal on its first possession, the other team would have the chance to possess the ball.

The league also changed the overtime period from 15 minutes to 10 minutes because it doesn't want the 1:00 games going into the 4:25 games.

There was sudden death as recently as this past season for regular season OT games but that will change for this season. Now, if the first team to possess the ball scores a touchdown, that same team will have to play defense and try to prevent the other team from scoring.

Both teams will now be allowed to possess the ball in overtime, even if the first team gets into the end zone. The game will enter sudden death if both teams score touchdowns on their first possessions.

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.

The overtime period will remain just 10 minutes.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 1, 2025

It's a little like the playoff overtime rules except that in the playoffs, the game will continue into another overtime period if the score is tied after the first one. If the score is still even after the overtime period in the regular season, the game will end in a tie.

This new rule makes it more fair for teams who give up a touchdown on the opening possession of overtime. The game used to end if that happened.

The new rule will be applied for the first time once the regular season starts in September.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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