Chiefs vs. Bills Finish Reignites NFL Overtime Rules Debate

Kansas City and Buffalo took part in the greatest NFL game in recent memory on Sunday. But the ending left a bitter taste in a lot of people’s mouths.

After Patrick Mahomes conducted a miraculous game-tying drive in just 13 seconds at the end of regulation, the Chiefs won the overtime coin toss and marched down the field for a game-ending touchdown. Since NFL overtime rules dictate that the game ends if the team who receives the ball first scores a touchdown, Josh Allen and the Bills never touched the ball again after scoring a go-ahead touchdown and ensuing two-point conversion to go ahead by three points with 13 seconds left, which would’ve been a surefire win in almost any other scenario.

Kansas City was on the other side of this situation in the 2017 AFC championship when Tom Brady and the Patriots scored on the first possession of overtime to head to Super Bowl LIII. The only Super Bowl to ever go to overtime, New England’s historic comeback over Atlanta in Super Bowl LI, also ended after the Patriots scored on the first possession of overtime.

Many observers on Twitter felt the Bills didn’t get a fair shot, and were calling for a change to the NFL’s overtime rules.