How Long Is the NFL’s OT Period?
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How long is the NFL’s OT period? What happens if the game is tied after regulation? Here’s everything you need to know about overtime in the NFL.
NFL’s Regular Season
The regular season of the National Football League (NFL) is the portion of the season generally from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas Day. From 2018, the regular season will start on the Thursday night following Labor Day and end on the Sunday following Christmas Day. All dates listed are subject to change.
How long is a NFL game?
The average NFL game lasts just over three hours, but if you include the time spent on commercial breaks and other stoppages, the typical broadcast is closer to four hours long. And if the game goes into overtime, as about one in every six games does, the broadcast can easily stretch closer to five hours.
How many timeouts are there in a NFL game?
Each team is allowed 3 timeouts per half, plus an additional 2 timeouts if the game goes into overtime.
How long is the halftime break in a NFL game?
At the half, there is a 12-minute intermission. During this time, the teams retreat to their locker rooms for strategy talks and to make any necessary adjustments.
NFL’s Overtime Period
The NFL overtime period is 10 minutes long. This is the same for both the regular season and the playoffs. During the regular season, if the score is tied at the end of regulation, each team gets one possession to score. If the score is still tied, then the game goes into sudden death.
How long is the NFL’s OT period?
The length of the OT period in the NFL is 10 minutes. This was changed from 15 minutes in 2017, in an effort to reduce the number of injuries that occur during longer periods of play. Although the regular season OT period is only 10 minutes, the postseason OT period is still 15 minutes.
How many timeouts are there in the NFL’s OT period?
In the NFL’s overtime period, each team is allowed two timeouts. If the game is still tied after both teams have used their two timeouts, then the game will continue without any additional timeouts.
How many possessions does each team get in the NFL’s OT period?
In the NFL’s overtime period, each team gets two possessions, unless the first team scores a touchdown on its initial possession. In that case, the game ends immediately. If neither team scores on its first possession, or if both teams score field goals on their initial possessions, each team gets a second possession. If both teams score touchdowns on their second possessions, or if both teams kick field goals and the score is still tied after both teams have had two possessions, the game ends in a tie.
