The NFL playoffs are a time of great excitement for the best teams of the season. On many occasions, two squads facing each other in a postseason game may end with the same score. To resolve this, overtime is played with special rules, so it is important to understand what happens if NFL playoff game ends in a tie.
The rules regarding overtime in the NFL have changed over the years, and are even different depending on the instance in which it is played, since it is not the same to reach an overtime tiebreak in the regular season than in the playoffs.
An overtime in the playoffs has even been used to define the Super Bowl champion of the 2023 NFL season, when Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime. In that game, as in all playoff overtimes, there are rules worth reviewing.
What Makes NFL Playoff Overtime Rules Different?
Regular season overtime differs from playoff overtime in such aspects as the possible outcome, the length of time, the number of periods that can be played, the teams’ first possessions, and the head coaches’ timeouts.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs looks to throw under pressure from defensive end Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVIII
Key differences between regular-season and playoff overtime
In the NFL regular season, if a game ends in a tie, a 10-minute overtime period is played. If a team scores a touchdown on its first series, it automatically wins the game without the opponent receiving the ball. If the first team scores a field goal, the other team gets the ball with a chance to tie with a field goal or win the game by scoring a touchdown. If the score is still tied after 10 minutes, the meeting ends in a tie.
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In the NFL playoffs, unlike the regular season, if a game ends in a tie, there is a 15-minute overtime period in which both teams are guaranteed at least one assured possession, regardless of the coin toss.
If a team scores more points on its first possession than its opponent, it wins the game. If the first team to have the ball scores a field goal or touchdown, the other team will have possession to even the scoreboard or surpass it and win. In the event that both teams score the same number of points or fail to score, they must continue to play until they break the tie.
The step-by-step overtime process in the playoffs
- Overtime Period Begins: A 15-minute overtime period begins after the fourth quarter ends in a tie. The coin toss determines which team will receive the ball first in overtime.
- First Possession: The team that wins the coin toss has the first possession of overtime, trying to score a touchdown or field goal.
- Second Possession: The second team is guaranteed possession. If the first team did not score points, any touchdown will serve to win the game. If the first team scored a touchdown, it is obliged to do the same in order not to lose.
- Multiple overtimes: If after the first possession there are no scores, the first team to score a touchdown of any kind wins. If there is still a tie after 15 minutes, more overtimes will be played until one of the two teams breaks the tie.
What Happens If Overtime Doesn’t Decide the Game?
If overtime does not decide the game in the NFL playoffs, the process continues with additional overtime periods until one team gains an advantage on the scoreboard and wins the game. There are no ties in the NFL playoffs. The game continues with additional 15-minute periods until one team wins.
Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals turns to hand off the football during overtime of the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs, in 2022.
Post-overtime tiebreakers in NFL playoff games
If overtime does not result in a tie-breaker, there is no traditional, alternative tie-breaker method, as the NFL playoff game will always continue with more overtime periods until a winner is reached. In league history, the maximum number of overtime periods played was two.
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Historical examples of extended playoff overtimes
An example of extended overtime in a playoff game is the historic duel known as the ‘Mile High Miracle’, between Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos. This meeting, played in the Divisional Round of the 2012 NFL AFC playoffs, was extended to two overtime periods. The Ravens won 38-35, taking one more step in their race to win Super Bowl XLVII.
Another historical example is the Carolina Panthers’ game against the St. Louis Rams in 2004, when the Panthers won 29-23 in the NFC Divisional Round. On that occasion, the game went into the second overtime period, where a Jake Delhomme touchdown pass sealed the victory for Carolina.
Why These Rules Matter in the Postseason
Along the way, the NFL rules have changed. In the beginning, the team that had the first possession in overtime and scored a touchdown to break the tie won the game directly. This made it much more likely to win simply by winning the toss before the start of overtime.
The NFL installed new rules for postseason overtime in March 2022 that would allow each team to get one possession regardless of what the team does with the ball first. This was important because it benefited parity in the game.
Kyle Rudolph #82 of the Minnesota Vikings makes the game-winning touchdown reception against P.J. Williams #26 of the New Orleans Saints during overtime in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game
How overtime rules influence coaching and strategy
In the NFL Playoffs, each head coach is entitled to three timeouts per overtime period. These do not accumulate. Each overtime period begins with three new timeouts for each team. The management of these timeouts is critical for the teams. At the same time, the decisions of each possession and the aggressive or conservative play style are the aspects most affected by overtime rules.
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Memorable playoff games impacted by overtime rules
Super Bowl LVIII, played in February 2024 between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, was the first Super Bowl to feature the new overtime rules implemented in the 2022 season. Head coach Andy Reid’s franchise prevailed 25-22.
Before that, another memorable game with the old rules was the Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers game in the 2015 Wild Card round. In that overtime game, the rules guaranteed each team one possession unless the first team scored a touchdown. The Cardinals won after scoring a touchdown on their first possession. The same thing happened in 2018, when the New England Patriots beat the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game to qualify for the Super Bowl.
FAQs About NFL Overtime and Tiebreakers
What’s the longest overtime in NFL history?
The longest overtime game in NFL history occurred during the 1971 AFC Divisional Round between the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs. This game was played on December 25, 1971 and lasted 82 minutes and 40 seconds, going into double overtime. Miami won 27-24 thanks to a field goal by Garo Yepremian.
How does the coin toss affect the outcome?
The main benefit of winning the coin toss is the chance to score first before your opponent. Prior to the new rules implemented for the 2022 playoffs, winning the coin toss was even more critical, as a touchdown on the first possession ended the game without the other team having a chance to respond. Under the current rules, however, both teams are guaranteed one possession.
Have playoff games ever required multiple overtimes?
In history, three NFL playoff games have required multiple overtimes to determine a winner. They were Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1971 AFC Divisional Round); Carolina Panthers vs. St. Louis Rams (2003 NFC Divisional Round); and Baltimore Ravens vs. Denver Broncos (2012 AFC Divisional Round).
