About NFL Overtime Rules

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Lawal McCray Senior. I'm the head football coach at Blanche Ely High School. We're located in Pompano Beach, Florida. NFL overtime rules differ from the collegiate level and the high school level. The overtime rules in the NFL, if the score is tied up at the end of regulation, the clock is started back at 15 minutes. The team that gets the ball that scores first wins the game. Now, that score can be a touchdown a field goal or a safety. The first team that scores in NFL regulation game in overtime wins the football game. Every year, at NFL owners meetings, they revisit the rule of overtime. Some teams feel that both teams should have the opportunity to have possession of the football. So if one team scores, the other team should at least have a chance to get the ball and score. They bring it to the table every single year, and surprisingly it's always voted down. A survey was taken this past year to see how the NFL players feel about it. A high percentage of NFL players feel that the current rule is best. The first team that scores, wins. They believe that extending the game into a full quarter will increase injuries, so they feel the first team that scores, should win, unlike the rules that are put in place in the collegiate level and high school, where both sides get an opportunity with the ball. That's one reason why NFL teams make sure they have a dependable kicker. If they receive the ball first, or win the toss and decide to accept the ball, if they could drive the ball halfway down the field, they have a great chance of kicking a long field goal and winning the game, hence the importance of having a great NFL kicker."