While overtime in the regular season can end in a tie, things are a bit different in the NFL playoffs. It wouldn’t make sense to have a tie here.
The NFL‘s overtime rules are often the subject of a discussion and while the overtime rules for the regular season can allow for a tie that result is not (and should not) be possible in the postseason. Flat out, the NFL doesn’t allow that in the playoffs.
So what does the NFL do for overtime in the postseason?
NFL playoffs overtime rules
According to the NFL Football Operations website, these are the overtime rules for the playoffs:
Assuming the score is still a tie at the end of an overtime period, a second overtime will begin. That is also true if the second team’s first possession has not ended by the time the overtime period has come to a close.
The teams will then go on and continue to play, continuing on through overtime periods until one team wins. This can go on for any number of overtime periods. However many are needed until one team beats the other.
What happens if there is a tie in NFL Playoffs?
However, if there is still no winner by the time the fourth overtime is wrapped up, another coin toss will take place and the teams will play until one wins.
A brief intermission will take place between each overtime period, but the teams will not have a halftime intermission after the second period.
Both teams will get three timeouts for a half.
The team that lost the first coin toss in overtime will get to choose to possess the ball. If they don’t want to choose to possess the ball, they can also choose which team to defend. They can also choose to defer that choice.
The second and fourth overtime periods follow the same timing rules that apply to the second and fourth regulation periods.
For more information and further explanation on NFL overtime rules, click here to check out the NFL rulebook.