AP Photo/Colin E. Braley
When an NFL playoff game goes into overtime next season, both teams have the opportunity to own the football.
Owners approved a rule change Tuesday that gives both teams possession in overtime for playoff games, according to NFL Network Tom Pelissero:
Tom Pelissero @TomPelissero
NFL owners today passed two more rules and resolutions: one providing for a permanent health and safety-related change to free-kick formations, and another allowing clubs to prevent personnel from holding assistant GM jobs until after the draft to accept elsewhere. pic.twitter.com/6G97S0ES2J
ESPN’s Adam Scherter pointed out that the rules for overtime in the regular season remain unchanged.
Per NFL Network Ian Rapport, the owners voted 29-3 for the change. The league requires a 75 percent majority (24 votes) for a proposal to pass.
Albert Breer The MMQB reported that the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings were the three teams that voted against the change.
32 NFL playoff games have gone into overtime since 1965.
The league announced March 16 that three teams proposed changes to the overtime rule. The Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts joint proposal was accepted.
The Tennessee Titans also made a proposal that would have given either team the opportunity to own the football unless the team with first possession scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion.
The current regular season overtime rule allows both teams to have at least one possession unless the team receiving the ball at the start of the period scores a touchdown.
After the showdown between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round, overtime rules once again became a topic of discussion. Kansas City scored a touchdown on the first possession of overtime to forge a 42-36 win.
The game featured 28 combined points in the fourth quarter, 25 of which came in the last two minutes. The Bills offense never had another opportunity to own the football after Gabriel Davis’ 19-yard touchdown reception with 13 seconds left gave the team a 36-33 lead.
The Bengals beat the Chiefs 27-24 in overtime in the AFC Championship Game. Cincinnati safety Vonn Bell intercepted Patrick Mahomes’ pass to Tyreek Hill on Kansas City’s first possession to set up the decisive drive, which was capped by Evan McPherson’s 31-yard field goal.