XFL Reveals New Rules Including "Shootout" Overtime Format

The XFL has announced several new rule changes that will separate the league from the NFL action we’ve all grown accustomed to. For instance, a running game clock, a “shootout-style” overtime format, and a three-tiered extra point system that ditches the need for extra point field goals.

Additionally, the XFL will allow for double forward passes, so long as both originate behind the line of scrimmage, and receivers will only need to get one foot down in bounds to complete a catch.

Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the most notable XFL rules.

After a TD is scored: Teams will have the option to go for 1, 2 or 3 points. A 1-point play can be scored from the 2-yard line, a 2-point play from the 3-yard line, or a 3-point play from the 10-yard line. 

Shootout-style Overtime: Each team will get five single-play possessions from the 5-yard line. If the score is still tied after those attempts, the rotating possessions will continue until there is a winner.

Running game clock: The clock will not stop after incomplete passes or when a player goes out of bounds, unless there is under two minutes remaining in the half. 

Timeouts: Each team will receive two timeouts per half.

No coin tosses: The home team will always have the option to kick, receive or defer. The visiting team will have that option in the event of overtime.

The XFL season will kick off on Saturday, February 8, the week after Super Bowl LIIV. 

The league’s eight teams have been divided into two divisions – East and West. The East is comprised of the DC Defenders, New York Guardians, St. Louis BattleHawks, and Tampa Bay Vipers, while the West includes the Dallas Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, Los Angeles Wildcats, and Seattle Dragons.