What are the NFL overtime rules for the Super Bowl?

Everything you need to know about how overtime works at the Super Bowl.

If the game is close at the end of the Super Bowl, which it’s looking like it might be, you might be curious about how overtime works in the Super Bowl. The NFL has changed up the rules semi-recently, so it never hurts to get a refresher.

Let’s go through them really quickly.

First, there’s the coin toss. You want to win the coin toss. We’ll get to why in a second. The visiting team captain gets to call the toss.

Winner of the coin toss will want the ball first, because there’s a major advantage to getting the ball first. The reason: The first team to score a touchdown will win a game.

The change that happened a few years back is that a field goal no longer automatically wins the game. Each team is guaranteed a possession … unless the first team scores a touchdown. If the first team scores a field goal, the other team gets a shot to tie it up or score a touchdown. If the other team scores a touchdown, it wins the game.

Here’s what’s different about the postseason (including the Super Bowl): Unlike in the regular season, after a 15-minute overtime period, the game doesn’t end in a tie. We start ‘er up with another coin flip and do the whole thing over again.

The other wrinkle: There are no challenges in overtime.

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Here are the official rules, via the NFL:

SECTION 1  – OVERTIME PROCEDURES

ARTICLE 1. SCORE TIED

If the score is tied at the end of the regulation playing time of all preseason, regular season, and postseason NFL games, a system of modified sudden-death overtime shall be in effect, pursuant to the following.

ARTICLE 2. END OF REGULATION

At the end of regulation playing time, the Referee shall immediately toss a coin at the center of the field, in accordance with rules pertaining to a usual pregame toss (4-2-2). The visiting team captain is to again call the toss.

ARTICLE 3. EXTRA PERIOD

Following an intermission of no more than three minutes after the end of the regular game, the extra period shall commence.

  1. Both teams must have the opportunity to possess the ball once during the extra period, unless the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown on its initial possession, in which case it is the winner, or if the team kicking off to start the overtime period scores a safety on the receiving team’s initial possession, in which case the team that kicked off is the winner. If a touchdown is scored, the game is over, and the Try is not attempted.
  2. If the team that possesses the ball first does not score on its initial possession, the team next scoring by any method shall be the winner.
  3. If the team that possesses the ball first scores a field goal on its initial possession, the other team (the second team) shall have the opportunity to possess the ball.
    1. If the second team scores a touchdown on its possession, it is the winner.
    2. If the second team scores a field goal on its possession, the team next scoring by any method shall be the winner.
    3. If the second team does not score on its possession, the game is over, and the first team is the winner, subject to (4) below.
    4. If the second team loses possession by an interception or fumble, the down will be permitted to run to its conclusion, and all rules of the game will be enforced as customary, including awarding points scored by either team during the down. If the second team scores a touchdown on the down after regaining possession, it is the winner. Only fouls that require the down to be replayed, fouls that negate a score, or palpably unfair acts will be enforced.

Notes:​

  1. In such situations, if the player who intercepts the pass or recovers the fumble goes to the ground and makes no effort to advance, the covering official will blow his whistle to end the game.
  2. If the second team loses possession by an interception or fumble, but the first team committed a foul prior to the change of possession, the second team’s possession has not legally ended, and the game cannot end on the down. However, in certain situations, the second team cannot decline the penalty and accept the result of the play, no matter how beneficial, because it would create a second possession for itself. It must accept the penalty enforcement, which will extend its initial possession.
  3. The situation in (2) may also affect the team that receives the opening kickoff during its first possession. If there is a foul by the second team followed by a double change of possession, and the first team declines the penalty and accepts the result of the play, the second team has had its required possession, and the first team has possession of the ball for the second time and needs only a field goal to win. However, if it accepts the penalty, it will extend its initial possession.
  1. A player is in possession when he is in firm grip and control of the ball inbounds (3-2-7). The defense gains possession when it catches, intercepts, or recovers a loose ball.
  2. The opportunity to possess applies only during kicking plays. A kickoff is the opportunity to possess for the receiving team. If the kicking team legally recovers the kick, the receiving team is considered to have had its opportunity. A punt or field goal attempt that crosses the line of scrimmage and is muffed by the receiving team is considered to be an opportunity to possess for the receiving team. Normal touching rules by the kicking team apply.
  3. All replay reviews will be initiated by the Replay Official. Coaches’ challenges will not be allowed.
ARTICLE 5. OVERTIME IN POSTSEASON

The following shall apply to overtime games in the postseason:

  1. If the score is tied at the end of a 15-minute overtime period, or if the second team’s initial possession has not ended, another overtime period will begin, and play will continue, regardless of how many 15-minute periods are necessary.
  2. Between each overtime period, there shall be a two-minute intermission, but there shall be no halftime intermission after the second period. At the beginning of the third overtime period, the captain who lost the coin toss prior to the first overtime period shall have the first choice of the two privileges in 4-2-2, unless the team that won the coin toss deferred.
  3. At the end of the first and third extra periods, etc., teams must change goals in accordance with 4-2-3.
  4. Each team is entitled to three timeouts during a half. If there is an excess timeout, the usual rules shall apply (4-5).
  5. At the end of a second overtime period, timing rules shall apply as at the end of the first half. At the end of a fourth overtime period, timing rules shall apply as at the end of the fourth quarter.
  6. At the end of a fourth overtime period, there will be another coin toss pursuant to Section 1, Article 2, and play will continue until a winner is declared.

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