NFL Overtime Rules in 2026: 10 Minutes, Both Teams Get the Ball, Ties Possible
After Falcons-Ravens and Bills-Rams both went to extra time in Week 5, here is how regular-season NFL overtime works, why ties still happen, and how playoffs differ.
Two Week 5 games sent fans searching for the rules. The Ravens tied the Falcons 23-23 late in regulation on Sunday Night Football with a touchdown and a two-point conversion. On Monday night, the Bills and Rams went to overtime after both scored touchdowns in the final two minutes. Another game, Giants-Commanders, ended in a tie on Sunday, which is the first tie of the 2026 season according to Heavy.
How overtime works
If a regular-season game is level after four quarters, there is a short break. The referee then holds a coin toss, and the visiting team's captain calls it. The winner chooses to receive the kickoff or to defend a particular goal.
The rules are the same as those introduced for the 2025 season. They have applied in the playoffs since 2022. Each team is guaranteed a possession, whatever the first team does. A touchdown on the opening drive no longer ends the game.
After both teams have had the ball, the higher score wins. If it is still level, the next score wins, which is sudden death. Each team has two timeouts in regular-season overtime.
There are no coaches' challenges in overtime. Any replay reviews come from the booth.
The safety exception
There is one way to end the game before the second team gets the ball. If the team kicking off scores a safety on the receiving team's first possession, the kicking team wins.
Otherwise, the second team can match or beat whatever the first team scored. If it falls short, the first team wins. If it scores more, it wins. Heavy notes that receiving the kickoff still carries an edge: a team that stays tied after one possession each has a better chance at the third possession.
When and why games end in ties
The period is capped at 10 minutes in the regular season, and it does not restart. A game ends in a tie in a few ways:
- Neither team scores in the 10 minutes.
- Both teams score the same amount, such as a field goal each, and nothing more follows.
- The clock expires while the score is level, even if a drive is unfinished.
A tie counts as half a win and half a loss in the standings. Heavy says it is better than a loss, though an anti-climactic finish.
Playoffs are different
Playoff games must produce a winner. If the score is tied after a 15-minute overtime period, another period begins, and play continues until one team wins. No postseason game has gone to a third overtime. The record is the 1971 AFC divisional game between Miami and Kansas City, which lasted 82 minutes and 40 seconds. Miami won on a field goal in the second overtime.
What it means for you
If you are watching a regular-season game, expect that a tie is possible once the 10-minute clock runs out. Do not assume a first-drive touchdown ends it: the other team still gets the ball. For playoff games, the rule is simple: someone will win, however many periods it takes. For tiebreakers and records, remember that a tie is worth half a win, so a team could finish 8-8-1.
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Quick answers
Can an NFL game end in a tie?
Yes, in the regular season. If the score is level when the 10-minute overtime ends, the game is recorded as a tie.
Does the other team always get the ball in overtime?
Almost always. The exception is a safety by the kicking team on the receiving team's first possession, which wins the game for the kicking team.
Can playoff games end in a tie?
No. Playoff overtime is played in 15-minute periods until one team wins.
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