As the NFL gears up for its annual Owners Meeting, one team is pushing for a significant shift in how overtime is handled during the regular season – and it could drastically reshape late-game strategy across the league.
The Philadelphia Eagles have officially submitted a proposal that would extend the postseason overtime format to regular-season games, ensuring both teams get a possession regardless of what happens on the opening drive.
Currently, NFL regular-season overtime operates under (semi) sudden-death conditions: if the team receiving the ball first scores a touchdown, the game ends then and there – without the other team ever getting the ball.
But in the postseason, the rules are more balanced, guaranteeing both sides a possession.
The Eagles want that postseason fairness to become the norm every week.
“By Philadelphia; amends Rule 16, Section 1, to align the postseason and regular season overtime rules by granting both teams an opportunity to possess the ball regardless of the outcome of the first possession, subject to a 15-minute overtime period in the regular season,” the proposal states.
This potential rule change comes just a few years after the NFL updated its postseason overtime rules – a move largely driven by public outcry following the unforgettable playoff duel between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
In that game, both offenses exploded in a back-and-forth thriller, but the Bills never touched the ball in overtime, leading to widespread frustration among fans and analysts alike.
The league has tried for years to fine-tune its overtime format. The first shift allowed teams a chance to respond to a field goal with a possession of their own.
Later, the NFL shortened the extra period to 10 minutes in the regular season, citing concerns about player health and injury risk.
Now, the Eagles’ proposal signals a push for consistency – and possibly greater fairness.
If adopted, this change could make overtime less reliant on the coin toss and more competitive from start to finish.
It would also add an intriguing layer to regular-season strategy, forcing teams to game plan with the assumption that their opponent will get the ball back.
While it’s unclear how much support the proposal will gather from the other 31 teams, the debate is sure to heat up when owners convene.
What are your thoughts on the proposal? … Would it be for the better or worse???
