NFL owners are considering changing the overtime rule during their annual meetings.

• The NFL is gearing up for another round of discussions about its overtime rules, which have been re-examined following the playoffs.
• Atlanta Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay stated on Friday that he believes there is a significant drive for a change in the overtime rule.
• This weekend through Wednesday, the NFL will hold its annual meetings in Palm Beach, Florida.

NFL owners are preparing for another round of discussions about the league's overtime rules, which have been re-examined after a thrilling playoff game. There may be changes in the works.

Atlanta Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay stated on Friday that he believes there is a significant drive for a change in the overtime rule.

This weekend in Palm Beach, Florida, the NFL will hold its annual meetings, bringing together owners, team presidents, coaches, and league staff to discuss gameplay operations and business.

Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner, will face numerous questions about league media deals, including minor renewals of assets such as radio rights and ticketing. Additionally, NFL team owners will discuss amending Rule 16, commonly known as the overtime rule.

Unless the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown, each team can have the ball in extra play. If the opening drive results in a field goal, the opposing team can either match the score or win by scoring a touchdown. In the event of a turnover, the first team to score wins.

The NFL's playoffs in 2021 were decided by three points or less in six of the final seven games, and discussions about overtime only began more than two months later.

The Kansas City Chiefs won the game against the Buffalo Bills in January 2022 with a score of 42-36 in overtime. The Chiefs scored the first touchdown and eliminated the Bills from the postseason after a thrilling comeback. The overtime rule was criticized, with some arguing that the Bills should have had the chance to match the Chiefs' touchdown, resulting in a new push to change the rule.

Inside Rule 16

The NFL modified its overtime rule during its March 2010 meetings in Orlando, and later approved expanding the format to the regular season during the March 2012 annual meetings.

The Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles will propose that both teams receive possessions in overtime, regardless of the first possession's outcome, this year. The teams argue that this change is necessary for "competitive equity."

The Tennessee Titans also want the rule changed – slightly.

If the Titans' plan is adopted, the team that scores a touchdown on the first drive will need a two-point conversion to win.

During a call with reporters on Friday, McKay, the NFL's Competition Committee chairman, stated that "data and analytics" support a change to Rule 16. He pointed out that since the current rule was implemented, there have been 12 postseason overtimes, with the coin-toss-winning team winning 10 times. Seven of those victories occurred on the first drive, including the Chiefs' win.

McKay stated, "The reason for the talk about rules modification is because of that."

The Colts and Eagles proposed a rule change that could affect competitiveness. If 24 out of 32 owners vote in favor of the proposal, it could be challenging to amend the overtime rule. Allowing both teams an automatic possession could increase the risk for injuries and prolong games.

If the defense stops the offense on the first possession, does the current overtime rule still allow both teams a chance for possession?

Team owners will hear from the coaches sub-committee during debates.

McKay suggested that changing Rule 16 would be a "pretty big hill to climb the first time," but if the league decides to make the change, he hinted that the Titans' proposal would make more sense.

McKay stated that if you feel your defense is exhausted and both teams have scored, you can still win the game by attempting a two-point conversion, which the analytics department believes many players would choose.

We will discuss that when we arrive at Palm Beach, as McKay stated.

Other business to settle

It is unlikely that NFL team owners will make significant media asset purchases, including the Sunday Ticket package, on the marketplace. According to CNBC's report on March 16, a decision about the $2.5 billion media package is expected to be made during the 2022 season.

The NFL's media arm, which operates NFL Network, NFL RedZone, NFL.com, and NFL's international property, is facing rumblings about potential investment partners, and it's uncertain what it could generate in revenue.

The NFL's satellite radio rights with SiriusXM and network radio rights with Westwood One are smaller deals that could be completed at the meetings. The value of these deals is unknown, but Westwood's 2009 NFL renewal reportedly paid the NFL more than $30 million annually.

The NFL is considering renewing its agreement with Ticketmaster, which grants the company rights to the league's ticket resale marketplace.

Neither Westwood One nor Ticketmaster responded to CNBC's inquiry regarding their NFL partnerships.

The NFL is seeking to finalize agreements for its Super Bowl Halftime Show rights and its wine and champagne rights before the 2022 season. CNBC reported in October 2021 that the NFL is seeking between $25 million and $50 million annually for the Super Bowl Halftime Show rights.

NFL club presidents will gain more insight into a new team asset through blockchain sponsorships with platforms such as Coinbase and FTX, as the NFL approved team sponsorships on Tuesday.