Once again, the San Francisco 49ers must be filled with regret after dominating much of Super Bowl LVIII, only to lose a 10-point advantage in overtime and fall to the Kansas City Chiefs, 25-22. For the players who experienced this same sensation four years ago, it must feel like a familiar and disappointing déjà vu. To have Patrick Mahomes and KC seemingly under control and then suddenly engage in a back-and-forth battle must be incredibly agonizing.
There is something about this game for Kyle Shanahan that creates a mental barrier or perhaps it is simply a case of unfortunate luck. Double-digit leads in three Super Bowls (one as Falcons Offensive Coordinator) and he returns home with a loss in each one. The criticism might be harsh, as seen in the social media post above, but it is difficult to dispute at this point.
Something goes wrong with Shanahan’s play selection in these late stages of the Super Bowl. Some suggest that he overthinks at times or becomes tense in these crucial moments. For the past few years, we have praised Shanahan and his offensive strategies, noting that he achieves success without a quarterback of the caliber of Mahomes or Tom Brady (although he did attempt to recruit Brady). Whether it is Jimmy Garoppolo or now Brock Purdy, the outcome in the sport’s grandest game remains the same.
San Francisco largely dominated the first half of this game and it felt like they should have been ahead by at least two touchdowns at halftime instead of just one. It is fair to say that the Chiefs have repeatedly proven that they are never truly out of any game. They may occasionally lose, but in the most significant moments on the grandest stage, they possess that intangible quality due to having Mahomes on their side.
Knowing that you are never out of a game because of one player instills a sense of invincibility. There are not many teams that can say the same about their quarterback. Players like Brady, Mahomes, and Joe Montana are difficult to bet against. Although they may occasionally experience defeat, you always feel like you have a chance with those individuals. In Montana’s case, he never lost or threw an interception in a Super Bowl.
However, that era of 49ers football occurred generations ago and that feeling has never been replicated. In their most recent eras, the Niners have come close but have been unable to capitalize. Under Jim Harbaugh, they lost to the Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII by three points, and now they have suffered two losses under Shanahan. This most recent game on Sunday also resulted in a three-point defeat.
Due to the recent trends in the league, Shanahan could potentially face job insecurity heading into the next season. It will be his eighth year with the team, and he has two Super Bowl losses on his record as the Niners’ head coach. Eventually, there comes a point where a team has made all the necessary personnel changes and still cannot achieve success. That is when we typically witness a change in the head coaching position. It might not happen immediately, but we are approaching a crucial juncture for Shanahan. It is time to either succeed or step aside.
For most of these 49ers, this offseason is going to feel like the longest ever. They came so close and even had a chance to win in overtime. Injuries to Dre Greenlaw (who did not return) and Deebo Samuel (who did return) during the game did not help, but San Francisco still had a fighting chance. However, when it came down to it, Mahomes once again demonstrated his exceptional abilities and delivered in the clutch, leaving Shanahan and the Niners with nothing more than dreams of what could have been.
According to the Source deadspin.com