Playoff Overtime Rules

Jan 10, 2026super bowl lviii became the first playoff game under the league’s new overtime rules for the postseason, and those changes guaranteed each team a chance to possess the football in. Jan 9, 2026here's everything to know about how the 2026 nfl playoff overtime rules work, and how they compare to the regular season and preseason. Jan 8, 2026clock management drills and special overtime play calls can make the difference between winning and losing.

You now understand how playoff overtime works in 2026. Jan 10, 2026in the playoffs, overtime periods are 15 minutes, not 10 minutes like the regular season. In 2025, nfl clubs approved a rule that aligns the postseason and regular season overtime rules by granting both teams an opportunity to possess the ball even if the first team scores a.

Nov 17, 2025by the end, you’ll be able to watch any overtime game and know precisely what’s at stake. The nfl’s regular-season overtime uses a modified sudden-death format in a single 10. Jan 10, 2026the national football league introduced sudden-death overtime in 1974 and the rules governing the extra phase of the game have evolved greatly over the past 50 years.

Jan 11, 2026when a game reaches overtime for the nfl playoffs, there will be a coin toss to determine possession. However, both teams now get a possession in overtime, without question,. Dec 22, 2025nfl overtime rules in the postseason consist of as many 15-minute periods as are necessary until there is a winner, instead of the single 10-minute overtime period in the regular season.

Sep 4, 2025overtime periods can have a pivotal impact on game results. Here are key facts on regular-season and postseason overtime rules in the nfl.