Discussions about the new playoff overtime rules the NFL put in effect beginning in 2022 enveloped Super Bowl 58, as it was only the second time in the Big Game’s history that extra time was necessary to decide the winner. Some believe that the San Francisco 49ers ended up digging their own grave by choosing to receive first, as the new rules meant that the team that takes a second crack at scoring will know exactly how many points they need to survive or outright win, which the Kansas City Chiefs did to defend their crown.
The new rules were put in place to give both teams a crack at the football, as under the old letter of the law, the first touchdown in overtime ended the game, which would have meant a one-and-done for the team that won the coin toss if they could put the ball towards the end zone. One pundit, however, does not like this change, with retired running back Tiki Barber expressing his disgust with how overtime works in the postseason.
“NFL overtime rule in the playoffs is nonsense. It’s absolute nonsense, really, to make the clock mean nothing. The clock has to end the game. I understand why they do it because it has to be fair. But it takes all urgency out of football,” Barber said, via WFAN Sports Radio.
Overtime has ended in sudden death rules since 1974, and the first touchdown in OT ended the game from 2010 to 2022, so it’s not like the extra period made the clock matter more in the past than it has. This is not like playoff hockey or in the NBA — this rule wrinkle is what made the OT strategy for the 49ers and Chiefs so interesting to monitor.
Could Tiki Barber’s idea to let the clock end the game for NFL overtime games, including the Super Bowl, add excitement? There is already plenty of tension in the current OT setup, as it puts so much pressure on the defense to come up with stops if they want to win. But making the clock matter more could introduce new wrinkles that spice up the proceedings even further.
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