NFL might alter overtime rules to allow both teams one possession

In the 2018 AFC Championship game, the Kansas City Chiefs watched the Patriots march and score in overtime. Next year, they could get a chance, too.

It might be too late to help the Kansas City Chiefs’ chances for postseason glory but the NFL is apparently open to changing overtime rules that might at least help future causes similar to Andy Reid and company’s fate last January.

The NFL is reportedly considering altering overtime rules via a vote for an official rule change by league owners. The rule would allow the team that loses the coin toss to have a possession, even if the team that wins the coin toss scores a touchdown. Currently, it’s on the team that loses the coin flip to stop the team that wins from scoring (assuming, of course, that the coin toss winning team wants to receive the ball to start on offense).

Last January the Chiefs pulled off an incredible comeback in the second half of the AFC Championship game at home to tie the New England Patriots and force overtime. Unfortunately for K.C., the Pats won the toss, elected to receive and marched down the field on the Chiefs predictable defense and won the game with a touchdown to seal the 37-31 victory. Immediately fans were flustered and overtime rules were called into question since only one team had a chance to score.

Clark Hunt put forward a proposal to change overtime in this way earlier this spring, but the league has not yet voted on it. There are two sides and they both have merit here. If the Chiefs had won that coin toss (and the game), there’s no way Hunt would propose such a rule change. At the same time, even if it is a bit of sour grapes on the Chiefs part, the reality is that the rule is odd from the outset. Why only give one team a shot when it can easily be like a penalty kick sort of situation? It makes for a pitiful ending in games that mean so much.

There’s no official word as to whether or not a change is coming, but the leak is at least insinuating that owners are open to it. The league has been reticent to change overtime rules too much in the past to match the college game, but the NFL would do well to keep an open mind on this one. The current rule is not only outdated; it’s also just odd.