NFL

NFL’s new OT rules likely for regular season, too

IRVING, Texas — Awarding the 2014 Super Bowl to New York isn’t the only thing on the NFL’s agenda this week.

The owners also appear likely to extend the new overtime rules to the regular season. That’s two months after they approved the controversial OT change for the playoffs at the annual meetings in Orlando.

The modified OT format guarantees the team that loses the coin flip (Team B) at least one possession in the extra session if Team A doesn’t score a touchdown on its opening drive.

Because of an impassioned push by commissioner Roger Goodell, the owners approved the OT change starting with the 2010 postseason by a 28-4 vote in late March.

The owners also did so over the vehement objection of many coaches, several of whom considered the decision to be dirty pool because the owners waited until almost all of the coaches were off-site at a mandatory golf outing that day to hold the vote.

Several coaches, including the Giants’ Tom Coughlin, voiced their displeasure about the change at the time. But the consensus from the coaches now appears to be that having different OT rules for different parts of the season would be impractical.

Hence the move to make it cover the entire season, which both the ownership of the Giants and Jets favor.

“I think the owners have spoken,” Coughlin said. “The commissioner made one statement to us about it, which was very interesting, that as he travels around the country, [the previous sudden-death OT format] is the No. 1 thing the fans want to talk about.

“When he said that, and you understand their vote, then I think it’s obviously going to be good for the game.”

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In one of the most obvious signs that New York’s 2014 Super Bowl bid is headed for approval tomorrow, the league is broadcasting Goodell’s announcement from the Omni Mandalay Las Colinas ballroom where the vote is being held live on the NFL Network.

The vote is set for around 3:30 p.m. Eastern, and Goodell’s announcement will come moments afterward.