“They’re crazy. They’re crazy.”
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones had this to say about San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan’s pivotal decision in the Super Bowl.
With the game tied at 19 and heading to overtime, Shanahan chose to take the ball after the 49ers won the coin toss. In so doing, many analysts believe he sealed San Francisco’s fate — another championship defeat at the hands of Patrick Mahomes.
Was it a mistake, though? How do the playoff-specific rules change the calculus of receiving or defending the football?
New playoff rules
In one of the most epic games in NFL history, the Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills, 42-36, in the 2021 AFC Divisional Round.