NFL Overtime Rules Change for 2025: What to Know
INGLEWOOD, calif. – The NFL has implemented changes to its overtime rules for the 2025 season, aligning them with the postseason format used since 2022, aiming for increased fairness in extra periods.
The regular season overtime period will now be 10 minutes long, with each team receiving two timeouts and all booth-initiated reviews available. This marks a significant shift designed to give both teams a genuine possibility to possess the ball.
Here’s a breakdown of the key changes and how overtime will function this season:
How Overtime Works in 2025
Both teams are guaranteed a possession in overtime, regardless of what happens on the frist drive. A coin toss determines which team chooses to receive or kick off to start the period. The exception to this rule is if the kicking team scores a safety on the receiving team’s initial possession.
Following each team’s possession, the team with the most points is declared the winner.If the score remains tied after each team has had a chance to possess the ball, the next team to score wins. Should the game remain tied after the full 10-minute overtime period, the game will end in a tie.
The changes come after a tied game between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys in Week 4 of the 2025 season, which ended 40-40 after each team scored a field goal in overtime.
