NFL considering major rule change ahead of 2022 season

The NFL is considering changing its overtime rules ahead of the 2022 season, according to Ian Rapoport. After listening in on a competition committee call that included chairman Rich McKay, Rapoport provided an update on where the league is at.

“McKay says there is a lot of momentum for changing overtime rules,” Rapoport wrote. “It’s more, which of the two proposals? And can they get 24 votes on the first crack? Possible, but a challenge.”

The first of the two proposals under consideration would make it mandatory for each time to receive one possession in the overtime period before moving on to sudden death. The second would require mandatory possession for each team unless the team that receives the first possession scores both a touchdown and two-point conversion. That is not too far off from the current rule, which allows teams to win on the first possession if they score a touchdown.

The NFL’s overtime rules have come under scrutiny many times in the past few years, most recently during an AFC divisional round playoff game between Buffalo and Kansas City this past season. That game ended with an offensive showcase that saw both teams combine for 17 points over the final two minutes of regulation. After the Chiefs kicked a field goal to send the game into overtime, they won the coin toss and scored on the first possession. To many, it seemed unfair that Josh Allen and the Bills never got a chance to answer, especially on such a big stage.

McKay told ESPN that some NFL teams prefer the potential 2022 rule change to be for the postseason only. As of 2010, seven of 12 overtime playoff games have been won on the first possession of the extra period. Additionally, the team that won the coin toss claimed victory in the game 10 out of 12 times.

For the overtime rules change to go into effect, the NFL would need at least 24 of a potential 32 votes from team owners. Despite the “momentum” that Rapoport noted, McKay warned reporters that it will still be difficult to come up with the required number of votes, as it always is when changing a rule.

“I think my history on this rule tells me that 24 votes is not easy to get,” McKay said. “But I do think the statistics absolutely warrant an examination of whether overtime rules need to be further modified.”

Owners are set to gather next week for their annual meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. In addition to the overtime rules, they will also discuss tweaking the setup zone on kickoff returns, increasing the likelihood of onside kick recoveries.