XFL to Have 3-Tiered Extra Point System, 2-Point Conversion Shootouts in OT

The XFL did things differently in its first iteration, and that spirit will carry over into the league's revival. 

XFL commissioner Oliver Luck said Tuesday on the PFT PM podcast (h/t ESPN.com) that teams will have three options after scoring a touchdown: A one-point try that could be attempted from the 2-yard line, a two-point attempt from the 5-yard line or a three-point try from the 10-yard line.

"We literally have a nine-point touchdown," he noted. "We think that's valuable because teams that historically are down by let's say three scores, well guess what, if it's a 16-point or a 17-point differential, you're really looking at a two-score game theoretically."

The league is also testing its overtime protocols, with the current plan to allow teams five tries at a two-point conversion, with any turnovers giving the defending team a point. Each offense and defense will remain on the field, at opposite ends, during the overtime session to speed up the session.

The goal is to keep overtimes at around five minutes long and the games at three hours.

"Soccer, which is the global game, hockey, which is the cold-weather global game—they've figured out how to do overtimes," Luck said. "They're compelling."

Professional football leagues outside of the NFL have been hit or miss. The XFL itself folded after just one season in 2001, while the AAF was shut down this year before its first season even concluded. Luck has expressed confidence in the XFL's financial structure, however, as he previously told Jake Russell of the Washington Post:

It remains to be seen if the XFL will thrive or flounder in its second iteration. But at the very least, the league is again adding unique changes to the game of football, which should serve as a point of intrigue for fans who enjoy seeing the traditional formula get a makeover.