The NFL has decided to table the discussion on whether or not to change the overtime format for regular season games next year. Instead, commissioner Roger Goodell said on Tuesday that he would like to get more feedback from the players before the league makes a significant change like that.

From ESPN.com:

Owners voted in March to change the sudden-death rule for the playoffs. If the team that loses the coin flip immediately gives up a field goal, that team will get a chance to score either to tie or win.

Goodell said owners also discussed upcoming labor negotiations with the players. The current contract expires at the end of the 2010 season.

I’m all for making adjustments to rules in effort to try and better the game (although it’s debatable whether or not changing the current OT format qualifies as “bettering the game”), but the league should prioritize its agendas.

As of this moment, the league is heading for a lockout in 2011. Instead of trying to figure out whether or not to change the overtime rules for the regular season, it would be nice if the league concentrated all of its efforts on signing a new collective bargaining agreement with the player’s union. I get that the league is going to discuss other matters of interest during this time, but all I continue to read about is how there is still “plenty of time” for the two sides to come together. Yet, the fact remains that a lockout is looming.

The NFL should always be about the fans. If there were a lockout next year, then it would destroy the fans. Forget the damn overtime rules and come together on a new deal already.

Photo from fOTOGLIF