NFL Making Changes for 2010-11 Season

A couple changes have already been confirmed for the upcoming NFL season that will need to be instituted in Madden 11. Earlier today the NFL owners passed the new rule for overtime, which at the moment is just to be used in the playoffs but in a couple months it may be voted in to use in the regular season as well. Also umpires are moving from being lined up behind the defensive tackles and will now be stationed on the offensive side. This is primarily being done for safety reasons while it also works to eliminate the ability for receivers to use them to set picks on defenders (ala Wes Welker).

Madden 11 creative director Ian Cummings has already stated that the move of the umpires has been completed in the game. It will certainly take more work in order to institute the new overtime rules, but at least that will then just be copied over to the regular season games if the owners decide to institute the change for all games and not just the playoffs.

The new overtime rules will give the team that wins the coin toss the opportunity to win outright if they score a touchdown. If they manage a field goal, the opposition will then have the opportunity to win the game by scoring a TD or extend it by scoring a FG. Should the first team not score on the opening possession, it then becomes sudden death.