In the immediate aftermath of Super Bowl LVIII, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan explained that he opted to take the ball after winning the coin toss to start overtime because he wanted to have the third possession of the game, with the next score winning it all.
On Tuesday, at their end-of-season press conference, Shanahan and G.M. John Lynch elaborated on the decision-making process, along with the extent to which it had been shared with the players in the days preceding the game.
Here’s the question, via the transcript provided by the team: “Some of the players after the game said they did not know the new rules for overtime. And Brock [Purdy] just said that he kind of went to quarterbacks coach Brian Griese right at the start of overtime for a refresher of the rules. Do you think it was important for the players to know the new rule as it pertains to overtime in the playoffs?”
Here’s Shanahan’s response, also from the transcript: “Well, yeah, I mean we did say and we told everyone as we were waiting for the coin toss, hey, review everyone with them, make sure they’re sure before we go out. So, we asked the position coaches to do that, but I didn’t cover it in a meeting on the Super Bowl week.
“I don’t think that changes anything. We did it with our analytics department. We decided that going into the playoffs, I think you guys know how I’ve explained how I make decisions with that stuff in the past. I take all the information I can get, especially ones I haven’t been in, and our analytics felt that was the best way to go. But as you guys know, I don’t always just go with that. I take into account what they say, what they think is right, and then I go off my gut in the heat of battle and I knew what they felt going into it. And when I think about that during the moments I have to make the decision, I think the type of game it was did match what they felt was the best way to do. It did seem more like a field goal game. And our defense had been out there for a real long time right before that. So, I didn’t feel at all to override that at the time.”
To summarize, the 49ers decided before the playoffs even started that the right move was to take the ball to start overtime. Shanahan saw no reason to do otherwise, given that: (1) it was a field-goal game; and (2) the defense was tired.
Lynch chimed in with this: “I think it was [an] 11-play drive that we just closed the game with. And when you’re playing [Patrick] Mahomes, you’re chasing him a lot, so there’s a lot of effort that’s expended. I think the context from there is you need some time to get fresh. And so, all those things play into it and those were sound decisions.”
That’s fine, but here’s another factor. You were facing Patrick Freaking Mahomes. You know what he can do in the clutch. We all know what he can do in the clutch. Why not make him go first, flying blind with three-down football while trying to score? Then, if he gets a field goal or a touchdown, you know what’s needed to continue the game or to win it — and you give your own quarterback a chance to do something special on the second drive.
While Shanahan already knew everything he needed to know about Mahomes, he didn’t know that the Chiefs planned to go for two, if the two teams had traded touchdowns. Also, no one knows what the Chiefs would have done if they’d faced a fourth down in field-goal range, after the 49ers had taken a three-point lead. It’s possible that the Chiefs were committed to avoiding sudden death entirely, with a goal to get six if the 49ers had scored three, and to get eight if the 49ers had scored seven.
All things considered, it’s definitely a close call. Against other teams, it would have made much more sense to take the ball. Against Mahomes, it made less sense to put the ball in his hands with a chance to win the Super Bowl.
They did. And he did. It wasn’t a fluke. It was Mahomes doing the things we know Mahomes does, especially when the stakes are the highest.
Here’s one thing we know. The next time a team wins the overtime coin toss while facing the Chiefs in the playoffs with the wind and weather not an issue, they’ll make Mahomes go first. We’ve already seen what he can do when he goes second.
Nobody should be surprised that he did it.
FAQs
So, I didn't feel at all to override that at the time.” To summarize, the 49ers decided before the playoffs even started that the right move was to take the ball to start overtime. Shanahan saw no reason to do otherwise, given that: (1) it was a field-goal game; and (2) the defense was tired.
What was Shanahan's overtime decision? ›
Shanahan's decision came down to one premise: “We just wanted the ball third,” he said. If the 49ers and Chiefs ended their possessions with the same result, the 49ers would receive the powerful advantage of winning the game with a score. Essentially, Shanahan gave the 49ers the possibility for an extra possession.
Why did the 49ers take the ball in overtime? ›
We just thought it would be better. We wanted the ball third. If both teams matched and scored, we wanted to be the ones who had the chance to go win. So got that field goal, so knew we had to hold them to at least a field goal and if we did, we thought it was in our hands after that."
Did the 49ers know the overtime rules? ›
All the changes, particularly the fact that the rules are different in the playoffs, can be confusing. 49ers players admitted that they didn't even know the rules, according to ESPN. "I didn't even know about the new playoff overtime rule, so it was a surprise to me," Niners defensive lineman Arik Armstead said.
What is Kyle Shanahan known for? ›
Shanahan became the head coach of the 49ers the following season, whom he has led to three division titles, four postseason appearances, four NFC Championship Game appearances, and two Super Bowl appearances (LIV and LVIII). Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. College: Duke (1998)
Why did Kyle Shanahan take the ball in overtime? ›
In the immediate aftermath of Super Bowl LVIII, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan explained that he opted to take the ball after winning the coin toss to start overtime because he wanted to have the third possession of the game, with the next score winning it all.
Did Kyle Shanahan know the overtime rule? ›
After multiple Niners said after the game they were not aware of the overtime setup, Shanahan said Tuesday he had laid out a plan with his staff before the playoffs began.
What did the 49ers do wrong in OT? ›
The 49ers needed to score a touchdown and hold Mahomes to less than a touchdown anyways. They failed at both. The execution on both sides of the ball failed and the new overtime rules had nothing to do with it. Not understanding the rules isn't what cost them that.
Why did the 49ers choose to go first in OT? ›
He was thinking ahead to when the game would truly become sudden death—in the case that both teams scored a field goal, or a touchdown, or were held scoreless on that first possession, he wanted the 49ers in control of the ball next.
Why did the Chiefs not want the ball in OT? ›
The Chiefs had a plan. The players knew the plan. The Chiefs wanted the ball second, and they would have gone for two if the 49ers had scored a touchdown on the first drive.
Lack of preparation. The team clearly didn't know the overtime rules in the playoffs. Many of them thought they could end the game with a touchdown on the first possession of overtime, which they couldn't -- the Chiefs were guaranteed a possession.
Did San Francisco know the OT rules? ›
San Francisco defensive lineman Arik Armstead admitted that he didn't know about the postseason overtime rules until they put them on the big screen at Allegiant Stadium. “They put it on the scoreboard, and everyone was like 'Oh, even if you score, they get a chance still,'” Armstead told reporters, per ESPN.
What is the new OT rule? ›
Beginning July 1, 2024, the new DOL rule increases the salary threshold, making millions of previously exempt employees nonexempt from overtime pay. The new overtime rule increases the FLSA salary threshold to $43,888 annually ($844 per week), up from $35,568 ($684 per week).
Has Kyle Shanahan ever won a Super Bowl as a coach? ›
Shanahan has the second-most wins of any active head coach without a Super Bowl title (72), behind only Sean McDermott (78). He's the only active head coach with multiple Super Bowl appearances who has yet to win a title.
What is Kyle Shanahan salary? ›
Kyle Shanahan's salary is certainly deserved given his immediate success. In 2017, Shanahan signed a six-year, $21 million contract. Following San Francisco's Super Bowl run in 2019, Shanahan reportedly signed a new six-year deal worth $60 million through the 2025 season.
Does Kyle Shanahan have tattoos? ›
Kyle Shanahan takes commitments to quarterbacks very seriously. The Falcons offensive coordinator linked with the 49ers head coaching vacancy has a tattoo dedicated to his quarterback at Texas in 2002. That quarterback is Chris Simms, the former NFL quarterback whose father is former NFL quarterback Phil Simms.
What was the new overtime rule in the Super Bowl? ›
The basics of the new overtime rules are simple: both teams get possession of the ball no matter if a team scores a touchdown on the opening possession or not. The Kansas City Chiefs certainly knew what was going on. The San Francisco 49ers did not.
What was the only overtime in the Super Bowl? ›
Two Super Bowls have gone to overtime: Super Bowl LI and Super Bowl LVIII. The Patriots beat the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, and most recently, the Chiefs beat the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
Who won the coin toss Super Bowl 2024 overtime? ›
LAS VEGAS — No one could make heads or tails of the 49ers' decision after winning the overtime coin toss in Super Bowl LVIII. Head coach Kyle Shanahan made the controversial decision Sunday to begin overtime on offense despite the new NFL playoff rules that make sure both teams get at least one possession.
