NFL changes OT rules for the postseason; Vikings among the teams to vote no

PALM BEACH, FLA. — NFL owners approved new overtime rules for the 2022-23 postseason at the league's annual meeting Tuesday, reportedly voting 29-3 in favor of a proposal that will guarantee each team one possession in an overtime playoff game.

The Vikings were one of the teams to vote no on the proposal, even though co-owner Mark Wilf spoke in favor of giving each team a possession shortly after the vote. The NFL had considered multiple methods for guaranteeing each team would possess the ball in an overtime playoff game; the Vikings favored a method other than the proposal by the Colts and Eagles that won approval.

According to a source familiar with the situation, the Vikings favored a full 15-minute overtime period in the playoffs, rather than a method by which teams would simply be guaranteed a possession without the game clock being a factor. They argued a 15-minute period would keep game strategy in play; teams would be forced to continue managing the game clock and decide whether to take the ball first after winning the coin toss.

The proposal by the Colts and Eagles, the Vikings reasoned, would eliminate any strategy after the coin toss; teams would almost certainly choose to play defense first, knowing they would only need a field goal to win the game if they could stop an opponent's opening drive.

In the end, though, there were enough teams who approved of the Colts-Eagles method to pass the new rule early Tuesday afternoon. NFL competition committee chairman Rich McKay indicated the new rule might not have passed if it was in place for the regular season. Support increased considerably once it was only being considered for the playoffs, and McKay said the rule easily cleared the 24-vote threshold necessary for approval.

Even if the Vikings disagreed with some of the details, Wilf said the decision to guarantee each team a possession was the right one for the playoffs.

"It's going to make the games more equitable, and that's the idea — that the coin toss shouldn't be as determinative as it was," Wilf said. "There were some statistics that were shown to us that the equity was a lot more skewed in the postseason, so this will level it out."

Under the rule that remains in place for the regular season, each team has at least one possession in a 10-minute overtime period unless the team that gets the ball first scores a touchdown.

Though coach Kevin O'Connell said tight end Irv Smith's knee is recovering well after meniscus surgery last year, he indicated the Vikings could take it slow in terms of putting Smith on the field during their offseason program.

"I know he feels really good and is getting some great work in down in New Orleans," O'Connell said. "We'll get him up to our facility in the next couple weeks. He's been up for some medical checks and everything looks great. I know he feels good. Now it's just a matter of understanding that [the start of the Vikings' offseason program on] April 11 doesn't necessarily mean we've got to be full go. We'll have a couple good weeks in the classroom with these guys before we get out on the field and see where he's at."

While O'Connell said numerous NFC coaches are talking about "two or three or four spots coming together" on their offensive line, he suggested the Vikings would only be trying to find a starter at one.

That would be right guard, where the coach said "we're going to have a nice competition" after signing former Dolphins guard Jesse Davis on Monday. The team also added former Broncos lineman Austin Schlottmann this offseason, and O'Connell said the Vikings want to find a spot for Oli Udoh, either at guard or as a swing tackle.

But he praised the Vikings' four returning starters, calling Brian O'Neill "one of the best right tackles in football," saying "there is so much to love" about second-year left tackle Christian Darrisaw's game, praising left guard Ezra Cleveland's skill set and saying fourth-year center Garrett Bradbury — who awaits a team decision this spring on his fifth-year option — can improve under the Vikings' new staff.

"I watched a ton of his tape coming out [of college]," O'Connell said. "Schematically, what we do may be a little different overall from what has been done. I think [that] could maybe put some tools in his toolbox."

The NFL did not pick the Vikings as a finalist to host the 2024 draft, which was awarded to Detroit this week, but Wilf said the team will bid to bring the event to the Twin Cities in a future year.

"Certainly, we've expressed our interest," Wilf said. "We understand there's a process to it, whether it's the draft, combine or the other big events. I know our business community, our fans, everyone is so great at these big events. We can pull it off, and we're going to keep pushing for those things."