Cowboys' Rival 49ers Admit to Not Knowing OT Rules in Super Bowl Loss to Chiefs

Dallas Cowboys fans got the last laugh against the rival San Francisco 49ers, who saw several players admit to not knowing the overtime rules in their Super Bowl loss.

Recent history with the San Francisco 49ers hasn’t been kind to the Dallas Cowboys. Three consecutive losses, including two agonizing playoff losses, have given the 49ers the upper hand in this historic NFC rivalry. In Week 5, they hunted the Cowboys for sport, establishing themselves as the best team in the conference.

San Francisco held that title until the season’s end, capturing home-field advantage and representing the NFC in the Super Bowl. Even so, the Dallas faithful got the last laugh.

Taking on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58, the 49ers took the generation’s best quarterback to overtime, only to fall short. The Chiefs won in the second possession of overtime, 25-22.

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (15) catches a pass against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) in the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium / Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The ending lent itself to controversy. San Francisco won the toss and elected to receive – a call many came to question. After kicking a field goal, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs stormed downfield before receiver Mecole Hardman caught the game-winning touchdown.

For the second time in five years and the third time since 2012, the 49ers left the Super Bowl as runner-ups.

The new overtime rules immediately became the topic of Sunday’s aftermath. The rules differ from the regular season, where a touchdown on the initial possession wins the game – and thus both teams want to receive the kickoff. In the playoffs, both teams are guaranteed a possession, meaning receiving the kickoff wasn’t necessarily the best option.

Apparently, San Francisco’s coaching staff didn’t relay that to its roster.

“I didn’t even know about the new playoff overtime rule, so it was a surprise to me,” 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead said. “I didn’t even really know what was going on in terms of that.”

In taking the ball first, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan elected to lock in a third possession – should the game be tied after the first two. The Chiefs, meanwhile, said after the game that they would have gone for two (and the win) if the 49ers had reached the end zone.

“You know what? I didn’t even realize the playoff rules were different in overtime,” San Francisco fullback Kyle 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 really know the strategy there. We hadn’t talked about it, no.”

As hysterical as it would have been for Cowboys fans to watch San Francisco celebrate like they had won the Super Bowl before the game was over, the 49ers managed just three points. Thus, Mahomes knew he had four downs to work with and the option to tie the game if necessary.

Shanahan paid for a potential third drive with the information Kansas City received with the ball. Mahomes ensured Shanahan’s offense wouldn’t touch the ball again.

Hindsight bias didn’t stop Dallas, and other fans around the league, from making fun of the 49ers. It didn’t work out for San Francisco. But that doesn’t mean Shanahan himself forgot the rules, or that his decision was wrong.

“Anyone that is very confident there is a clear option is probably wrong,” said an NFL analytics staffer to Seth Walder.

In Brian Burke’s simulation of the new overtime rules, the receiving team won 50.29 percent of the time. Even if the second team goes for two, the first offensive team won 50.19 percent of the simulations – practically dead even.

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The 49ers weren’t inherently wrong to make the choices they did, but it’s hard to believe that a team with the talent, acumen, and preparation to make the big game hadn’t informed its players of a rule change that could have shaped their fate.

Laugh all you want at San Francisco. That’s what rivalries are for, and hey, they blew a 10-point lead in the Super Bowl … again. Just don’t let the jokes influence the hypothetical merits of the decision.