49ers players say they didn't know Super Bowl overtime rules

[4th and Long]

How is this even possible?

https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/49ers-...20Super%20Bowl.

49ers players say they didn't know Super Bowl overtime rules

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs capitalized on the NFL's postseason overtime rules to once again beat the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl.

While several Chiefs players and coaches said they had a prepared strategy in the event that the Super Bowl went to overtime, multiple 49ers players admitted they were not even aware of the rules.

"I didn't even know about the new playoff overtime rule, so it was a surprise to me," Niners defensive lineman Arik Armstead said. "I didn't even really know what was going on in terms of that."

Sunday night's game was the second of 58 Super Bowls to be tied after regulation. It was the first played under new overtime rules that ensure both teams get a chance to possess the ball before the game ends -- unless the first drive in OT ends with a safety. This differs from the rules governing overtime in the regular season, where the game ends if the first team to possess the ball scores a touchdown.

After winning the overtime coin toss Sunday, the 49ers elected to receive the ball to start the extra period. But their 13-play drive ended with Jake Moody's 27-yard field goal and set the stage for Mahomes, who orchestrated his own 13-play drive punctuated by a game-winning 3-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman that sealed the Chiefs' 25-22 victory.

Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said he and his analytics staff discussed overtime possibilities before the game, but Armstead and fullback Kyle Juszczyk both said that overtime strategy was not discussed with 49ers players leading up to the Super Bowl.

"You know what? I didn't even realize the playoff rules were different in overtime," Juszczyk said. "I assume you just want the ball to score a touchdown and win.

"I guess that's not the case. I don't totally know the strategy there. We hadn't talked about it, no."

[Frosty]

People keep saying the Bills let us win this game. I don't see how that's true. The Bills change would only have come into effect if the 49ers had scored a TD on the first possession. Since they scored a FG, normal OT rules came into affect.

The rule I didn't know was that if the clock went to 0, another OT period would have started until the Chiefs' possession was done (unless they tied it with a FG).

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Coach

Honestly, at this point, it doesn't matter if the 49ers knew it or not. The fact is that Kyle Shanahan just cannot win the big one when it really comes down to it.

He was the OC when the Falcons had the lead and lost Super Bowl 51.
He was the HC when the 49ers had the lead and lost Super Bowl 54.
He was the HC when the 49ers had the lead and lost Super Bowl 58.

That's called a "trend".

I've seen that postseason pattern. He's a Shanaheimer.

[ForeverIowan]

Maybe they should have been waking up a little earlier in the morning to go over the rules. Took the head ref 10 seconds to explain it during the coin toss.

[Imon Yourside]

Shannon on point

They changed the rules to stop Mahomes

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by RunKC

And they had us. It was a damn good playcall. In fact, it was very similar to our playcall that won the game ironically.

They called their own version of corndog and had the perfect matchup. They forced us to put Sneed and McDuffie at the top by bunching Deebo and Aiyuk. They kept killing us by going to Jauan Jennings and Shannahan matched him up on Watson.

They completely forgot to block Chris Jones. I have no idea why but Chris Jones ran free untouched and ruined that play, which is inexcusable. If they simply block him for even a second, that's an easy first down and they get the TD.

via Imgflip

via Imgflip

Wow here's the video from Baldy. They completely forgot to block Chris and he ran free. If they simply have someone in front of Chris they likely score. Not only was Jennings open, Aiyuk got open in the end zone bc Sneed slipped

.@49ers final offensive play of the season should have been a TD to @THE2ERA . Gotta get the pass protection right to get that done. Cant turn @StoneColdJones free! #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/0o5W3nuajf

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) February 12, 2024

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Wow here's the video from Baldy. They completely forgot to block Chris and he ran free. If they simply have someone in front of Chris they likely score. Not only was Jennings open, Aiyuk got open in the end zone bc Sneed slipped

.@49ers final offensive play of the season should have been a TD to @THE2ERA . Gotta get the pass protection right to get that done. Cant turn @StoneColdJones free! #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/0o5W3nuajf

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) February 12, 2024

Chris said he thought it was a screen because of how they didn't block him at first.

[Bl00dyBizkitz]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Wow here's the video from Baldy. They completely forgot to block Chris and he ran free. If they simply have someone in front of Chris they likely score. Not only was Jennings open, Aiyuk got open in the end zone bc Sneed slipped

.@49ers final offensive play of the season should have been a TD to @THE2ERA . Gotta get the pass protection right to get that done. Cant turn @StoneColdJones free! #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/0o5W3nuajf

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) February 12, 2024

Wow.

It's basically Jimmy G missing Sanders deep all over again. They had a huge chance to win if they just block Jones. Another haunting missed opportunity for the 49ers.

[FlaChief58]

Pay Andy anything he wants.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by O.city

Eh, I'm not sure taking it first is as big of a deal as some are making it out to be. The computer says there isn't much change either way, and taking it first can end up giving you a 2nd possession.

You have to take into account how many times you get a 3rd possession and get the ball back as the 49ers. Its probably quite a bit especially in a defensive oriented game. many times it goes 0-0, 3-3 or 7-7 and now its sudden death and Niners get the ball. I believe they made the correct decision in terms of a win probability model. I have not studied this scenario as it is new though.

I did like what I heard when Big Red said they were going to go for two had the Niners scored 7 first.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by Bl00dyBizkitz

Wow.

It's basically Jimmy G missing Sanders deep all over again. They had a huge chance to win if they just block Jones. Another haunting missed opportunity for the 49ers.

Jimmy G had protection and just missed the throw.

Purdy was staring down 280 pounds of pissed off Jones schlong bearing down on him.

[kcpasco]

Keep changing the rules. Patty doesn’t give a ****.

[Mecca]

Just be real, Kyle Shanahan choked again.

[Garcia Bronco]

If you don't know the rules then you aren't a pro.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by FlaChief58

Pay Andy anything he wants.

Right. Chris Jones said the same thing. He wasn't having any of that excuses shit.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yeah, I'm not sure there's a world where Andy takes the FG to tie unless they're facing 4th and 6+ from the 35 (where even converting leaves you a fair distance yet to go).

It's why I say I'm not sure what Shanahan did truly would've mattered. If there was a mistake in OT, it was passing the ball on 3rd down and leaving yourself a longer 4th down play that convinced you to kick it.

Shanahan should've treated that gold zone scenario as 4-down territory, ESPECIALLY after CMC had that nice run on 1st down. That was his coaching failure - not taking the ball.

Right. There is a lot of noise about the decision. It's not it. Our guys were made for that situation. Mahomes, Jones, Kelce et al were going to lock in and execute. Their guys win by getting schemed open and the other team makes mistakes. And it almost worked. They had us dead to rights, but it got tight and our guys came through.

1. **** all things Shanahanarat. I'd love to destroy the guy, but he's assembled a hell of a good team and he coached a good game. But he got Mahomesed. Just like Allen, Lamar and Hurts. They played good enough to win, but ran into the best ever.

2. Can you imagine what their team could be if they hadn't biffed up that Trey Lance pick? YIKES.

3. These guys were ****ing good. It's common for us to shit all over teams that Mahomes Mahomes-es. These guys were ****ing incredible and probably beat everybody else, save maybe the Ravens - I didn't watch them get obliterated by the Ravens. But that effort probably beats everybody in the league not named Chiefs. Can you imagine that pass rush against Buffalo? Miami? Those receivers against the Ravens secondary? LOL. They were ****ing good and almost beat us. What we did to win the game was nothing short of incredible.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Wow here's the video from Baldy. They completely forgot to block Chris and he ran free. If they simply have someone in front of Chris they likely score. Not only was Jennings open, Aiyuk got open in the end zone bc Sneed slipped

.@49ers final offensive play of the season should have been a TD to @THE2ERA . Gotta get the pass protection right to get that done. Cant turn @StoneColdJones free! #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/0o5W3nuajf

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) February 12, 2024

Yeesh. I didn't see them hack up that protection that bad. You could tell the Right Tackle was like, "Hey wait come back!"