The NFL has faced criticism over the years for caveats and loopholes existing within their many rules, particularly around the way the league handles overtime games. Now, they have attempted to amend said overtime rules.
NFL owners recently approved changes which will surround the league’s rules in overtime games. Previously, whichever team won the coin toss would have possession and if they scored a touchdown, they would automatically win, with the other team not even having a chance to score. Now, each team will have at least one possession.
The change will commence starting in the 2022-23 playoffs, and will only exist for the playoffs (at least for now). This means that regular-season games will still use the one-and-done coin toss scenario that has been mired with controversy.
🚨 NEW PLAYOFF OVERTIME RULES 🚨 pic.twitter.com/OMJ0cYSih1
— NFL (@NFL) March 29, 2022
Clamors for change have always existed, but rose to new highs after the Bills lost to the Chiefs 42-36 in overtime on January 23, 2022, in what was regarded as one of the wildest games in NFL history. In that game, Josh Allen and the Bills took the lead with 13 seconds left in the game, but Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs tied it up with zero seconds left. They then won the coin toss and subsequently won the game in overtime.
Mahomes himself has weighed in on these rules changes. “I’m sure there’ll be moments where you feel like it’s a good decision,” the star quarterback said. “But then there will be moments when you score that touchdown first and you feel like it’s a bad one. So you just go out there and play and try to win the game whatever way.”
Mahomes, notably, is 1-1 in overtime playoff games. The same rule that benefitted his team against the Bills bit his team in the back the following week. Although the Chiefs won the coin toss, they still lost against the Bengals in the AFC championship game after a Mahomes interception led to a game-winning field goal by Evan McPherson.
What do you think of the NFL overtime rule changes? Let us know, by either leaving a reaction below or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
