NFL changes overtime rules for 2025

According to Bret Bloomquist of the El Paso Times on Tuesday, the National Football League are changing their overtime rules for the 2025 regular season. Starting next year, both teams will have one possession with the football, regardless if the first team that has possession scores an offensive touchdown.

From 1974 to 2010, the National Football League had the dumbest overtime rules in all of sport. The team that scored first won the game. That included a safety or a field goal. Teams that won the coin toss were at a significant advantage. In 2010, the rules changed for the better. If the first team that had possession scored a touchdown, they won the game. If a touchdown was not scored, the opposing team had an opportunity to tie or win.

Then in 2023, the NFL changed its rules, but only for the postseason. Both teams had the opportunity to have possession of the football if the first team had an offensive touchdown.

The regular season overtime rule change for the 2025 season was put forward by the Philadelphia Eagles and was approved. It was a double win for the Eagles, because the Green Bay Packers wanted to disallow the tush push, which was created and perfected by the Super Bowl champions this past year. However, the Packers’s proposal to disallow the tush push was rejected by the league, meaning we will have this unique play, where the offensive line pushes the quarterback, for at least another season.

There will also be more opportunities for video replay. Horse collar tackles, facemasks, tripping and contacting the kicker can now be reviewed. It was ridiculous you could not challenge these infractions before. Meanwhile, the football will be placed on the 35 yard line instead of the 30 yard line after a touchback (when the ball is kicked off into the end zone and not returned).