2026 NFL playoffs and Super Bowl overtime rules explained

The NFL has updated its overtime rules for the regular season to closely mirror those used in the playoffs, though key differences remain for postseason play. In playoff overtime, periods last 15 minutes instead of the 10 minutes used in the regular season, and there are no ties. Both teams are guaranteed a possession unless the team on defense first scores a safety, which would end the game immediately.

During playoff overtime, each team is allotted three timeouts per half, and a two-minute warning occurs at the end of the second quarter of overtime. If the game is still tied after the second quarter of overtime, the game continues with another kickoff, but without a full halftime break, lasting only two minutes.

If the tie persists through four quarters of overtime, another coin toss occurs, and the game proceeds with sudden death rules where the first team to score wins. This playoff format allows for strategic decisions, such as whether to kick or receive, and the possibility to attempt a two-point conversion to win