Steelers HC Mike Tomlin not in favor of changing NFL overtime rules

The Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles presented a proposal that involves altering NFL overtime rules to ensure that both teams receive possession of the ball during an extra period before a game moved to a sudden-death format. The Tennessee Titans went in somewhat of a different direction, though, by suggesting that the team that earns the opening possession of overtime could win a contest by scoring a touchdown and then successfully converting a two-point try. 

A plethora of fans and analysts are against the current arrangement that allows a team to essentially score a walk-off touchdown after it wins an overtime coin toss. However, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach and NFL competition committee member Mike Tomlin offered a different point of view while speaking Monday at the league's annual meeting. 

"To be quite honest with you, I’m a sudden death advocate. I’m a traditionalist," Tomlin explained, according to Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. "I don’t fear sudden death and I never have, but obviously I lost that battle a decade ago. But my position remains unchanged. I am one of the few sudden death advocates I would imagine.

"I just think 60 minutes everybody has had a fair opportunity to win the game. When you’re talking about changes as it pertains to competitive fairness, I speak to the first 60 minutes that we all had. So, win the game. I don’t fear sudden death."

One thing that seems certain is the old rule that allowed a team to win an overtime game by converting a field goal on an opening possession likely isn't returning. Whether or not a minimum of 24 owners will vote to change the format for extra periods is unknown. 

"I certainly think there’s a desire to do something, whether or not we can land the plane remains to be seen," Tomlin added.