NFL Considers Overtime Rule Changes, E-first Downs

The National Football League (NFL) is contemplating updates to its overtime rules during the regular season to mitigate the advantage currently held by teams winning the initial coin toss. At the NFL scouting event, a league executive emphasized the necessity to reassess these regulations. Currently, the competition committee concurs that there’s a need for scrutiny over the existing overtime guidelines.

From 2017 to 2024, teams that gained initial possession in overtime came out on top in 56.8% of cases, illustrating an increment from the 55.4% win rate recorded between 2001 and 2011. Presently, unless a touchdown is scored during the first possession, both teams are ensured a chance to possess the ball in overtime.

The playoff structure differs slightly, promising each team an opportunity at possession even if the offense scores a touchdown on the opening drive. The league adopted this structure following a significant game in January 2022 where Buffalo experienced a poignant loss to Kansas City. Aligning this rule across both the regular and playoff seasons by possibly standardizing the period to 15 minutes is under discussion.

Additionally, by 2025, the NFL envisions employing a virtual measuring system to ascertain first downs. This move won’t negate the role of officials who physically place the ball and utilize chains for marking gains. Instead, they plan to offer real-time notifications to officiating for first downs once the ball is manually spotted.

Kimberly Fields, a senior NFL official, mentioned incorporating the technology in the previous season and has proposed goals for 2025 that include training technicians to handle this technology, completing officiating procedures for virtual measurements, and testing visuals for broadcasts to engage both live audiences and TV viewers. Even with these innovations, traditional chain crews will remain as a precautionary measure.

The competition committee is also set to evaluate the possibility of broadening the replay assist to encompass additional fouls, though the appetite for allowing video replays to call penalties remains tepid. However, should a team propose a change, it could lead to video replays catching missed calls. Replay assist was already active in 2024 for certain infractions like roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness, among others.

Consideration for 2025 includes extending this to infractions like contact below the knee, rough treatment of defenseless players, illegal crackback blocks, and more. Moreover, the league is exploring ways to make onside kicks viable while solidifying rules around the dynamic kickoff.

Last season, a trial led to excitement on kickoffs with a significant rate of returns, but impacted onside kick recovery, achieving only a 3 for 50 success rate, the lowest since 2001. Alternatives like the fourth-and-long possession-retaining option are to be debated in upcoming months.

Another topic in the spotlight has been the “tush push” play utilized by the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles. While some opponents consider it risky and propose banning, like the Green Bay Packers recently did, the league hasn’t noted any injuries related to the move in 2024. The topic continues to be a contentious point in ongoing discussions within the league.