PALM BEACH (Fla.) — I am one of the 10 members of NFL’s competition committee. Pittsburgh SteelersMike Tomlin, the coach, is currently evaluating two overtime rule modifications at the NFL owners meetings.
The Indianapolis Colts Philadelphia EaglesA proposal was submitted that would give both teams the chance to own the ball while the Tennessee TitansBoth teams could have the ball, provided that neither team scores a touchdown or converts to two-point conversions.
Tomlin, who has been on the committee since 2013, stated Monday that he supports an overtime rule that is most similar to the traditional overtime structure.
He said, “To be completely honest with you. I’m a sudden-death advocate.” “I’m a traditionalist. I don’t fear sudden deaths and never have. But, I clearly lost that battle a decade back. However, my position has not changed. I’m one of few sudden-death advocates that I can imagine.
“I think everyone has had a fair chance to win the game for 60 minutes. When I talk about competitive fairness and changes, I mean the first 60 minutes of each player’s time. Win the game. I don’t fear sudden death.”
The NFL overtime rules currently allow for a sudden death scenario. The overtime period ends if the first possession ends in a touchdown.
Tomlin stated, “I believe simplicity is best,” regarding overtime rules. “I don’t believe you want to be at the most important moment in time and explain the rules to your football team.
Tomlin feels the momentum behind a rule change after two playoff games were decided in overtime in 2021. To pass, Tomlin needs 24 votes.
Tomlin stated, “I’m certain that we’ll find a resolution to address this.” “How? The final proposal we will all agree on I believe will be decided in the next few days. We have a few ideas on the floor because I think everyone wants to address these issues. We’ll be able to narrow the issue and hopefully reach some resolution, as we are still here.