While more football is always entertaining, even die-hard fans may struggle to keep up with the NFL's constantly changing overtime regulations.
The OT rules for the Super Bowl and postseason have evolved over the years, with the most recent tweak coming in 2022.
From 1974 until 2010, the NFL resolved tied games through a 15-minute sudden-death overtime period. This meant that the first team to score would win the game, irrespective of the scoreline.
In 2010, the league introduced a "modified sudden death" rule: if a team scored a touchdown on its initial possession, the game would end immediately. However, if the first score was a field goal, the opposing team would also get a chance to possess the ball.
In 2017, the NFL made further changes by reducing the overtime period to 10 minutes. This shift aimed to streamline the game while still allowing for the possibility of a decisive finish. There are bound to be NFL games that go into overtime in 2024.
Here, GOAL explains everything you need to know about how the NFL OT format works in football for regular season, playoffs, so you won’t be the one scratching your head after a nail-biting Super Bowl loss like some poor 49ers players!