Patrick Mahomes Delivered Mic-Drop Quote About Super Bowl Overtime Rule
Patrick Mahomes has every right to be the most confident player in the National Football League.
And after the Chiefs quarterback led Kansas City to a 25-22 victory against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, winning the first Super Bowl overtime game since his team was the reason for the playoff rule change, Mahomes portrayed his well-deserved confidence.
I mean, we changed the rules so we can execute them both ways.
Patrick Mahomes
“I mean, we changed the rules so we can execute them both ways,” Mahomes told ESPN’s Chris Berman and Booger McFarland after the win. “I don’t know how they’re going to change them this time.”
Mic drop Mahomes.
Mahomes’ notion is a factual one. The NFL approved a change to overtime rules in 2022 after the Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round. In that game, the Chiefs won the overtime coin toss, received the kickoff and scored a game-winning touchdown on their first possession. Now, after the rule change, both teams get the opportunity to possess the ball even if the team that receives the overtime kickoff scores a touchdown on its first possession.
During the overtime thriller at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, the 49ers won the coin toss, received the overtime kick and lost the game. Given that both teams get possession in overtime, the decision made by 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has received plenty of backlash.
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It’s not how the Chiefs would have gone about it. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, defensive tackle Chris Jones and Mahomes all said Kansas City would have kicked it off in overtime if it won the toss. Having possession second helped the Chiefs know how many points they needed to score.
The 49ers settled for a field goal on their only overtime possession.
“Right when the defense got the stop and got the field goal, I had all the belief in the world we were going to go down there and win it,” Mahomes said.
The Super Bowl LVIII MVP and three-time champion had every right to be that confident.