Among the many different topics discussed at the 2025 NFL Annual Meeting this week was a proposal to change to the league’s regular season overtime rules. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles, who is on the NFL Competition Committee, was naturally involved in those discussions.
And on Tuesday morning, it was reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the proposal was passed by league owners. Both teams will now get a possession in overtime during the regular season, which is the way it’s been in the playoffs for the last few seasons. The original proposal also included an extension of the overtime period to 15 minutes, but Schefter reported that it will remain a 10-minute period.
NFL owners now have passed a rule that both teams will be allowed to possess the ball in overtime in the regular season.
The original proposal was for a 15 minute OT; that now has been amended to 10 minutes.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 1, 2025
Under the league’s previous rules, the team that received the opening kickoff in overtime could win the game with a touchdown, thus preventing the other team’s offense from ever possessing the football. The only way the kicking team got a chance to possess the ball is if the defense forced a stop or at least held the receiving team to a field goal.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR
The change to the rule allows for both sides to possess the football, which aligns with the playoff overtime rules that were adopted ahead of the 2022 season, which was just after the Chiefs beat the Bills in overtime of an AFC Divisional Round game without Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense getting the ball in overtime.
NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent said in February that the competition committee, which includes Todd Bowles and nine others, agreed that the overtime rules need to be addressed. There’s been a slight uptick in teams
“It’s time to rethink the overtime rule,” Vincent said at the time.
Now, the rule is updated and in line with the way it works in the postseason.
Todd Bowles Is “All For” The NFL’s Updated Overtime Rules
Not long before Schefter’s report that the league owners have passed the proposed overtime rule change, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles spoke with the media at The Breakers in Palm Beach and had positive things to say on the possible amendment to the rules.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today
“I’m all for both teams getting the football,” Bowles said Tuesday morning. “At least it gives you a chance. It gives you a fair chance. Now, if one team holds the ball long and you’re in two-minute mode, we’ll see. But most of the teams score on the first possession anyway. But to give the other team a chance to get the ball back, I think it’ll add some excitement to the game.”
Logically, the rule change makes sense. NFL fans all over have had complaints about the overtime format for years, so change was necessary. But even beyond the logical approach to the rule change, it makes sense from an anecdotal standpoint that Todd Bowles and the Bucs would favor the updated format.
In 2024, Tampa Bay lost two overtime games without Baker Mayfield and the offense getting a chance to take the field. The first was a 36-30 loss in Atlanta that saw the Falcons win the overtime coin toss and drive right down the field for the win. About a month later, history repeated itself in Kansas City, with the Chiefs winning the coin toss in overtime and scoring the game-winning touchdown with Mayfield and the offense left watching on from the sideline.
That won’t be the case starting in 2025, which is music to the ears of both Todd Bowles and Baker Mayfield.
