NFL games ending in a tie are relatively rare. Since the NFL introduced overtime in 1974, only 29 regular-season games have ended in a tie. Ties occur when teams finish the regular four quarters and the 10-minute overtime period with the same score. The frequency of ties since 1974 has been about 3.4% of overtime games, but because not all games go to overtime, the overall percentage of all games ending tied is less than 1%. For example, some recent seasons have had one or two ties, but some seasons have had no ties at all, as in the 2023-24 season where no games ended in a tie. Historically before 1974, ties were more common, but rule changes have made them increasingly uncommon today.
In summary:
- Ties happen only in regular-season games.
- Overtime is a single 10-minute period; if still tied, the game ends as a tie.
- Since 1974, tied games are between roughly 0.2% to a few percent of total games played.
- Recent NFL seasons typically have 0 to 2 tied games per season.
