It is the day following the Super Bowl, and now is the moment for an abundance of exaggerated reactions to what we witnessed on Sunday night. One piece of information that emerged after the San Francisco 49ers’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl is that several players from San Francisco were not aware of the distinct overtime rules in the playoffs. While it is the responsibility of the players to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations, it is also crucial for Kyle Shanahan and his coaching staff to ensure that everyone understands the procedures for overtime.
“After the game, multiple players from San Francisco admitted that they were unaware of the different overtime rules in the playoffs.”
Losing to an exceptional team is one thing, but being defeated due to a lack of preparedness is a grave error for a coaching staff. This falls squarely on Shanahan’s shoulders. Therefore, for those who already held a certain opinion about coach Shanahan, particularly a negative one, this news will likely bolster your argument.
Although the overtime rules in the NFL are no longer as straightforward as they once were, and they become even more convoluted in the postseason, it remains crucial to have your team ready on game day. This includes being aware of the potential scenarios that may arise, especially in a playoff game, and this becomes even more critical on Super Bowl Sunday. Shanahan is known as a meticulous coach who has been accused of “overthinking” on occasion and overlooking minute details. However, this was not a minor detail: not knowing the overtime rules cost him a championship.
This brings to mind the case of former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, who was unaware that an NFL game could end in a tie in 2008. They played against the Cincinnati Bengals and the game concluded with a 13-13 tie. Following the game, McNabb expressed his surprise, stating that he was unaware that ties were a possibility according to the rulebook.
“I had no idea,” McNabb said. “I have never been involved in a tie. I didn’t even know it was part of the rulebook. I was looking forward to the opportunity to go out there and try to drive for a win. But unfortunately, due to the rules, we settled with a tie.”
Although the NFL playoff overtime rules are relatively new, it is still inexcusable for Shanahan to have his team unprepared for every potential outcome. These details are what differentiate between being a really good or great coach on a week-to-week basis and being considered one of the greatest of all time. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has reached that level of greatness over the past five years. As good as Shanahan has been with the San Francisco team, he still has a long way to go before he can even be considered in the same league as Reid.
This does not mean that Shanahan will never achieve that level of greatness, but there are concerns about his trajectory. Reid lost his first Super Bowl as a head coach in Philadelphia against the New England Patriots. However, he made a comeback, although it took some time. Reid now boasts a record of 3-1 in Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs. Therefore, Shanahan still has time, even though starting with an 0-2 record in Super Bowl appearances is challenging. It is understandable why he did not stay for the 49ers’ postgame celebration and instead only exchanged greetings with Lil Wayne before departing.
According to the Source deadspin.com