Is there overtime in NFL preseason games?
The NFL preseason kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 3 with the Hall of Fame game. The Cincinnati Bengals don't play their first game until Aug. 11 when they host the Green Bay Packers.
The preseason puts us another step closer to the start of the NFL regular season and it's important because it gives players lower on the depth chart a chance to prove themselves. Preseason performances can be the difference between a player making the team or being waived when the team has to make roster decisions.
One big rule that was changed for preseason games came in April 2021 and that was to eliminate overtime.
There is no overtime in NFL preseason games.
It wasn't shocking that the owners voted to eliminate overtime in preseason games because these are simply exhibition games. The final results don't matter so why make the players go out there and continue playing if the final score isn't going to be important?
The biggest thing teams want to avoid in the preseason is injuries to players. They'll rotate in a lot of the second and third-stringers but even then, injuries aren't something teams want to see happen. By forcing teams to play overtime, that increases the possibility of injuries taking place.
You shouldn't see too many people upset over this rule change.