In March, the Competition Committee recommended that owners reduce overtime from 15 minutes to 10 minutes during the preseason and regular season. Not enough owners agreed.
So with another ownership meeting looming, where do things stand? Cowboys COO, executive V.P., and director of player personnel Stephen Jones, who also serves as a member of the Competition Committee, addressed the issue during a visit to PFT Live.
“I think some of the membership, and we certainly respect that as a committee, really felt like there might have been some other things that should’ve been looked at in terms of solutions to overtime,” Jones said. “Obviously, when we looked at it, it was from a player health and safety standpoint. Playing five full quarters, which I think happened either two or three times this year where they went the distance, and actually one team turned around and played a game on a Thursday, then you’re looking at what’s in the best interest? And then you say, ‘Hey, if you cut that back to 10 minutes how many games would that effect?’ And then ultimately, ‘How bad is it if a game does end in a tie?’ [Editor’s note: Really bad.] Those were some of the things we looked at.”
So why didn’t the proposal pass?
“I think we were challenged by some of the group and membership to look at other possibilities and opportunities and that’s what we’re doing and we’ll see if we’re ready for a vote,” Jones said. “If we’re not, it may not get changed this year.”
Hopefully, they’re looking into a proposal that came from outside the Competition Committee, the confines of the league, or anyone with any good sense whatsoever.