NFL overtime rule change possible, but 24 votes 'not easy to get'

Coming off the Kansas City Chiefs' thrilling overtime playoff win over the Buffalo Bills this past January that featured Kansas City scoring a touchdown on the only offensive possession of the extra period, the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles proposed a change to NFL overtime rules that would ensure both teams would receive possession before moving to a sudden-death format. The Tennessee Titans, meanwhile, suggested a rule that would allow a team that scores a touchdown on a first overtime possession to win the game by successfully converting a two-point try. 

Three-fourths of the owners must vote in favor to change such a rule. Per Kevin Seifert of ESPN, NFL competition committee chairman Rich McKay said Friday there is "a lot of momentum" for altering how overtime games are won and lost but added he's not necessarily optimistic something gets done this offseason. 

"I think my history on this rule tells me that 24 votes is not easy to get," McKay explained. "But I do think the statistics absolutely warrant an examination of whether overtime rules need to be further modified."

Seifert noted that seven of 12 postseason overtime contests have been won on opening possessions under the current rules since they were embraced ahead of the 2012 campaign. Ten of those 12 games were won by the team that won the overtime coin toss. 

Tweaks to overtime periods and other issues, such as the league's controversial emphasis on taunting penalties, will be discussed at the owners’ meetings that begin Sunday.