American football has become the most popular and competitive sport in the United States. Fans love to watch their team fight for victory on a weekly basis every Sunday in a three hour long match against formidable opponents. The league pushes to make football a fair sport using extensive ruling and teams of seven officials to manage the game. However, the rules are not perfect. In order to create a more equal game for the fans, the National Football League must change their overtime rules which currently provide an advantage to the team that wins a coin toss, leaving the outcome of the game to chance. 

Since 1941 when the NFL's sudden death overtime rules were first added to post season games and in 1974 when they were extended to regular season games, the rules have given an unfair advantage to the team who wins the coin toss. Although the rules have been changed in an attempt to create a more even overtime outcome, they still leave the game to chance. Previously, the rules dictated that if the receiving team scored a touchdown or a field goal, they would win the game without the other team getting a chance to touch the ball. These rules were recently changed in attempt to make the rules more impartial. Since 2010 in postseason and 2012 in regular season, the sudden death rule does not apply to field goals on the opening drive. Thus, if the receiving team scores a field goal, their opponents will get a chance to either score a field goal and continue the game in sudden death, score a touchdown to win the game, or fail to score and lose the game. It should also be noted that any defensive score will give the defensive team a victory. Although the new rules do help to create a more skill based overtime, ESPN's win probability model estimates that the recipient of the opening kickoff in overtime will win about 53.8 percent of the time, and setting aside ties, the kicking team will win about 46.2 percent of the time. This is not fair to the players, to the coaches, or most importantly to the fans. At the very least, both teams should have a chance to possess the football.

Players and coaches work hard to perfect plays and to learn how to overcome their opponents throughout the season. Unfortunately, the outcome of games that end in a tie after four quarters are left to chance, and in many instances, prevent one team from using the skills they've built to win the game. The NFL must show their commitment to America's favorite sport by creating the most even playing field possible.