Did awareness of overtime rules (or lack thereof) make the difference in Super Bowl 58? Kyle Juszczyk doesn’t think so, even after admitting he didn’t know the new rules after the 49ers’ overtime loss to the Chiefs.
The San Francisco fullback ignited a bit of a firestorm Sunday night when he said he wasn’t aware of the updated postseason protocol, telling reporters: “I didn’t even realize that playoff rules were different in overtime, so I assumed you just want the ball to score a touchdown and win.”
Defensive tackle Arik Armstead also admitted he didn’t have a grasp of the new overtime rules, which were implemented before the 2022 season.
Still, Juszczyk insisted Tuesday that it didn’t matter much whether he or his teammates knew at all.
“Why does it f— matter?” Juszczyk told the San Francisco Chronicle’s Mike Silver. “That changes nothing for me as a player, whatsoever. If I know the rule or don’t know the rule, I’m trying to do the exact same thing on the field. It’s just people looking for a way to s— on [Kyle Shanahan].”
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Juszczyk clarified that Shanahan did tell the team about the revised overtime rules — nearly two years ago, when they were first put in place. The fullback said he forgot the rules over time and doesn’t think the story should be a controversy.
1) I talked to @JuiceCheck44 about he and some of his teammates being unclear on the new (postseason) OT rule. He said they learned it when the change was made but that he forgot over time. That said, he thinks this is a stupid controversy… “Why does it f——- matter…”
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) February 13, 2024
Shanahan confirmed to reporters Tuesday that he didn’t give his team an overview of the overtime rules before the playoffs, adding that he had asked position coaches to go through it with players. He said he briefed the team on the rules before the coin toss.
“I don’t think that changes anything,” Shanahan continued, explaining that he and his staff went over the coin toss decision before the playoffs with the rules in mind.
While we’ll never get to see what Juszczyk’s potentially awkward reaction would have been if the 49ers actually did find the end zone on the first overtime possession, it might be true that it wouldn’t have changed the offense’s strategy on San Francisco’s opening drive. The 49ers had a touchdown on their mind, and the defense’s strategy likely wouldn’t have been any different under the old rules, considering a Chiefs touchdown would have won the game either way at that point.
Still, some have held the 49ers’ lack of awareness against Shanahan, who came close to his elusive first championship but wound up on the losing end of a Super Bowl for the third time.
Many aspects of the Chiefs’ dynasty are similar to the Patriots’ run under Bill Belichick, and this is one more. New England held an advantage over most other great teams because of its discipline and attention to detail. Whether it made a difference in the end or not, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid made sure his team was aware of the new rules — which were put in place largely because of a game his team won — and it’s no surprise the team that emphasized attention to detail won out.
