I understand there’s less than a zero percent chance of football removing the game clock, but it’s the off-season, and we’re still forty-two days from the first NFL game, so there’s plenty of time to goof around. When you look at the structure of how football is played compared to other sports, the game clock doesn’t actually make sense.

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In basketball, soccer, rugby, hockey, and other major sports with game clocks, the clock is necessary because, in general, there's continuous play throughout the match. In contrast, football is more like baseball, where the game is played in singular 7-8 second moments. On average, the amount of actual football played in an NFL game is only around eleven minutes per game. So, based on the structure of the game, what’s the point of having a 60-minute game clock? The majority of the game clock ticking down is just preparation for the next play.

Now, the play clock is absolutely necessary for the game and should not be changed whatsoever. Forty seconds is plenty of time to decide a play, set it up, audible if necessary, and get it off. It’s perfect.

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Football should experiment with the idea of implementing a system similar to baseball’s inning system but call it a drive-based system.

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The Basics

In this new format, each game consists of 10 drives per team. Think of drives like innings in baseball. Teams take turns playing offense and defense in each drive.  A halftime would likely be necessary at the end of the 5th drive to help teams adjust, rest, and regroup for the 2nd half of the game.  

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How It Works

Each drive is split into a “top” and “bottom” half. During the top half, Team A is on offense while Team B defends. In the bottom half, they switch roles. A drive ends after both teams have had their possession.

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Possession Rules

A coin toss kicks things off, deciding which team starts on offense in the first drive. From there, teams alternate. Each possession lasts until the offensive team scores, turns the ball over, or fails to convert on fourth down. Standard football scoring—touchdowns, field goals, safeties, extra points, and two-point conversions—still applies.

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Field and Play Regulations

The field remains the classic 100-yard gridiron with end zones. Teams have four downs to advance 10 yards, just like always. A play clock ensures the game keeps moving, giving each team adequate time between plays. Turnovers like interceptions and fumbles lead to an immediate change of possession but don’t end the drive. The defending team that recovers the ball becomes the new offensive team and continues until their possession ends.  Which means a team can score twice in a drive, so possession of the ball is more critical.

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Special Teams

Kickoffs occur at the start of each drive. If the team that possesses the ball in the top half of the drive scores in any manner, a kickoff would then occur for the team possessing the ball in the bottom half of the drive. Punts can still be used on fourth down, negating the need for a kickoff in the bottom half of the drive. Additionally, if a team wants or needs a second offensive possession in a drive, they can use an onside kick or implement a rule similar to the UFL’s 4th and 12 from its own 28-yard line.

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Time Regulations

While each play must be executed within a play clock, there’s no overarching game clock for the entire drive. This means games could run a bit longer or shorter than traditional football games. Either way, be prepared for a more strategic showdown.

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Timeouts:

I’m going to be generous and say each team is allowed one timeout per drive. This means each team has a total of ten timeouts they can use in a game, but it must be used within that drive. If a team does not use their one timeout in a drive, it’s gone forever. This forces teams to seriously strategize when and how they want to use those timeouts.  

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Overtime

If the game is tied after 10 drives, we move into extra drives. Each team gets one possession in the top and bottom of each extra drive until one team pulls ahead.

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Example Game Flow

1st Drive:

• Top Half: Team A on offense, Team B on defense.

• Bottom Half: Team B on offense, Team A on defense.

2nd Drive:

• Top Half: Team B on offense, Team A on defense.

• Bottom Half: Team A on offense, Team B on defense.

This pattern continues until all 10 drives are completed.

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This drive-based system could lead to longer or shorter games, so make sure to adjust your schedules and broadcasting plans accordingly. Without a game clock to manage, teams might develop new strategies, focusing on maintaining possession and seizing scoring opportunities. And of course, fans will need time to get used to the new format, but with clear explanations and a significant amount of patience, it might be more accepted.

I think this fresh take on American football keeps the core elements we love while introducing a structured, turn-based format that emphasizes possession and strategic play.  I’m not saying the current game clock structure is bad, but I do think this is a way to make the game of football fit more into a more compatible system.  

This is a very surface level design of the drive-based system that would require exponentially more time and preparation before ever testing it out, but again, we all know this would never happen so it doesn’t hurt to think about or play around with the idea, especially with so much time between now and opening kick off.