The San Francisco 49ers are quickly learning one thing after their devastating loss in Super Bowl 58 — they should’ve just lied (as my pal Mike Sykes says).
On Tuesday, Kyle Shanahan clarified his foolish overtime strategy by maintaining that he wanted the ball third in the extra period. The head coach was rightfully blasted by the NFL world for such a silly thought process because … what? But it’s worth noting that this probably never becomes a controversy without fullback Kyle Juszczyk’s comments about how he didn’t know the Super Bowl overtime rules.
In defense of his coach, Juszczyk tried distancing himself from the idea that his not knowing the Super Bowl overtime rules meant anything. Eh, I’m not sure I agree:
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
2) Said @JuiceCheck44: "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)."
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) February 13, 2024
OK. Huh. Let’s unpack this.
Juszczyk’s defense of Shanahan not properly teaching his players the overtime rules is tantamount to complaining that a restaurant guest didn’t appreciate eating a burnt dinner. It’s reacting to the deserved backlash as if it shouldn’t happen in the first place. It’s realizing he should probably just fall on the sword for his coach after opening Pandora’s Box following another crushing Super Bowl loss.
No one’s looking for reasons to [expletive] on Shanahan. He did that to himself.