How NFL Overtime Rules Work in the 2026 Season

In the 2026 regular season, overtime is capped at 10 minutes, but both teams usually get a possession before the game can end.

SportsOctober 13, 20263 min readHow Sureno writes this

The short version

NFL regular-season overtime in 2026 lasts a maximum of 10 minutes; if the score is still tied when time expires, the game ends in a tie. ¹²
Both teams normally get a chance to possess the ball, even if the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown. ¹²
After both teams have had a possession, the next score can decide a still-tied game, but the 10-minute limit still applies. ²³
Playoff games use overtime too, but they continue until a winner is decided and cannot end in a tie. ¹³

How do NFL overtime rules work in 2026?

If a game is tied after four quarters, the teams play an extra period. In the 2026 regular season, that period can last up to 10 minutes. The format follows rules introduced for the 2025 season, according to the available reporting. ¹²

Before overtime, there is a short break and a coin toss. The visiting team’s captain calls the toss. The winner chooses whether to receive the kickoff or defend a particular goal. ¹

The clock matters: overtime ends when its 10 minutes run out. If the score is even then, the regular-season game is recorded as a tie. ¹

Does each team get the ball in overtime?

Usually, yes. Both teams must have an opportunity to possess the ball, even if the team receiving the opening kickoff scores a touchdown on its first drive. That is a key difference from older descriptions of sudden-death overtime, where an opening touchdown could end the game immediately. ¹²

The second team tries to match or beat the first team’s points. If it scores more, it wins. If it scores fewer, the first team wins. If the score is level after both teams have had a possession, play continues under sudden-death rules: the next score decides the game, unless time expires first. ²³

Can the team that gets the ball first win right away?

Not ordinarily. A touchdown, field goal, or other score on the opening possession does not, by itself, prevent the other team from getting its chance to answer. The second team can tie or surpass the opening score. ²

The reported exception is a safety on the first possession of overtime. The sources identify that as the situation in which the usual second-team opportunity does not apply. ²³

When can an NFL game end in a tie?

A regular-season game can end in a tie if neither team has won when the 10-minute overtime period expires. That can happen when the score stays level through both teams’ initial possessions and neither side scores again before time runs out. ¹²³

Overtime does not guarantee that every regular-season game produces a winner. A tie is the official result if the clock runs out with the score still even. ¹

Are NFL playoff overtime rules different?

Yes. The sources say the playoff format gives both teams a chance to possess the ball, but playoff games continue with additional overtime periods until one team wins. They cannot finish as ties. ¹²³

The reporting describes the 2026 regular-season rules as the same format used in the playoffs since 2022, while noting the difference in the result: regular-season overtime has a 10-minute cap and can end in a tie; playoff overtime continues until there is a winner. ¹²³

What we don't know yet

The sources do not provide a complete official NFL rulebook passage for every overtime situation.
The reports do not establish how often the 2026 regular-season format will produce a tie.
Specific clock, timeout, and replay procedures are not covered consistently across the supplied sources.

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Questions people ask

How long is overtime in an NFL regular-season game?

It lasts a maximum of 10 minutes under the 2026 regular-season rules. If the score is still tied when the period ends, the game is recorded as a tie. ¹

Can the NFL regular season end with a tie?

Yes. If the score remains level when the 10-minute overtime period expires, the regular-season game ends in a tie. ¹³

Does an overtime touchdown win the game in the NFL?

Not automatically under the 2026 format described in the sources. Both teams normally get an opportunity to possess the ball, even if the first team scores a touchdown. ¹²

What happens if NFL teams are still tied after one overtime possession each?

The game becomes sudden death: the next score decides it. In a regular-season game, however, the 10-minute limit remains; if time expires with the teams still tied, the result is a tie. ²³

Can an NFL playoff game end in a tie?

No. The supplied reports say playoff games continue through additional overtime periods until a winner is decided. ¹³

Sources

How can an NFL game end in a tie? Overtime rules explained — AS USA, 2026-10-11
How NFL OT Rules Work for Falcons-Ravens — HEAVY, 2026-10-12
NFL Keeps 10 Minute Overtime Rules for 2026 Season — Oduu, 2026-10-12

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