# NFL Overtime - Ref asks “Any Questions?” **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 17, 2021, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-overtime-ref-asks-any-questions/956200 "2021-12-17T04:43:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-overtime-ref-asks-any-questions/956200/21 "2021-12-20T15:35:31Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I think that this refers to a relatively recent NFL rule for overtime, which states that both teams have the right to at least one possession, unless the team which receives the kickoff to open overtime scores a touchdown on that possession (or the defense on that possession scores). > > In effect, what this means is that the team which receives the kickoff can’t win the game with a field goal on that initial possession. If that team does score a field goal, the game continues; however, if the other team doesn’t score on their next possession, the game then ends. So Shoeless’s original statement was: > [@Shoeless](#): > > the fact that the game **ends in a tie** if the score is still tied when OT expires **or both teams have had their share of possessions**. The game can end after both teams have had their share of possessions (opening FG followed by no score), but it wouldn’t be a tie in that case. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-overtime-ref-asks-any-questions/956200/22 "2021-12-20T15:49:07Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > It wouldn’t be a 13-10 tie, it would be a 13-10 win. Yes, sorry, I missed that in @CoolHandCox’s reply; I blame only being on my first cup of coffee for the day. 😃 A tie only occurs if both teams have the same score at the end of the game. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-overtime-ref-asks-any-questions/956200/23 "2021-12-20T15:57:53Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > > [@Shoeless](#): > > > > I was watching the Chiefs-Chargers game Thursday night (which I assume is what prompted the OP) and am pretty sure the ref covered the fact that the game ends in a tie if the score is still tied when OT expires **or both teams have had their share of possessions**. > > Not sure what you mean by that - there’s no limit to number of possessions in the NFL OT rules. The game continues until a score or time runs out. I thought each team got two possessions in OT. I could be wrong about that. (Maybe I’m thinking of timeouts, not possessions.) So my thinking was if each team had the ball twice and nobody scores, game ends in a tie. But I guess if nobody scores they just keep playing until the clock runs out. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-overtime-ref-asks-any-questions/956200/24 "2021-12-20T16:57:34Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > So my thinking was if each team had the ball twice and nobody scores, game ends in a tie. But I guess if nobody scores they just keep playing until the clock runs out. Yes. It works like this… If you receive the ball first and get a touchdown, game is over, you win. It you receive the ball first and get a field goal, you kick it off to the other team. They get one possession to try to score. If they get a touchdown, they win. If they get a field goal to tie the game, then the game continues until either team scores or the clock expires (after 10 minutes of play) in which it’s a tie. If that team isn’t able to score during their position then you win by 3. That means they get a turnover on downs, they miss a field goal, they get a turnover via fumble or interception, etc. The only way a game ends in a tie is if after 10 minutes of OT the score is still tied. ETA: Another fun fact… I don’t think this has ever happened but let’s say the receiving team gets the ball on the opening kickoff. They fumble the ball back into the end zone. They recover it but are tackled before they get out of the end zone. Game over. Why? They had possession but the other team scored a safety. Or think of Super Bowl 48, where on the first offensive snap of the game the ball sails back into the end zone and the offense gets it but it’s a safety. If that happened in OT it would be the end of the game. That’s one of those funny quirks of the OT rules. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-overtime-ref-asks-any-questions/956200/25 "2021-12-20T18:39:47Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > ETA: Another fun fact… I don’t think this has ever happened but let’s say the receiving team gets the ball on the opening kickoff. They fumble the ball back into the end zone. They recover it but are tackled before they get out of the end zone. Game over. > > Why? They had possession but the other team scored a safety. Yep, a safety on the first possession (doesn’t have to be the kickoff) ends the game also. The “if you’re too incompetent to not get a safety, you don’t deserve to win” rule. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-overtime-ref-asks-any-questions/956200.md?page=1)