There’s always one rule or penalty that fans and media members question after every big NFL game. Following the 2024 Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, it was each team’s handling of the postseason overtime rule change that many debated — and whether or not their coaches prepared them for it.
For example, an X account called NFL Rumors claimed that Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman “didn’t know [the] overtime rule” and that “Patrick Mahomes had to tell him he won the game” on his final touchdown reception.
However, Hardman quickly took to social media to refute that report. “I knew the Rule!!!” He replied, adding: “False news.”
The irony is that while Hardman and the Chiefs appeared to not only know the rule change — which allows both teams to get one possession of the football no matter if they score a touchdown or not — but also prepare for the possibility of it coming into play, the 49ers seemed confused by this postseason alteration.
According to NFL reporter Lindsay Jones of The Ringer, “multiple San Francisco players said after the game that they were not aware that the overtime rules are different in the playoffs than they are in the regular season, and strategy discussions over how to handle the overtime period did not occur as a team.”
Jones noted that “defensive lineman Arik Armstead said he learned the details of the postseason rule when it was shown on the Allegiant Stadium jumbotron during a TV timeout after regulation.” While “fullback Kyle Juszczyk said he assumed the 49ers asked to receive when they won the toss because that’s what you do in the regular season, when a touchdown wins the game.”
“I guess that’s not the case,” Juszczyk admitted candidly. “I don’t really know the strategy.”
Chiefs Prepped for Playoff OT Rules Back in Training Camp
In the same article with The Ringer, Jones also revealed that the Chiefs had planned for that exact situation very early in the season.
“The Chiefs’ overtime plan worked out exactly how they had hoped—and it wasn’t by accident,” she wrote. “Kansas City safety Justin Reid told The Ringer that the Chiefs had first discussed the new overtime rules as far back as training camp.”
Continuing: “Defensive lineman Chris Jones told me players were prepared for what to expect if the Super Bowl went to overtime.”
Chris Jones even divulged that “if [the 49ers] scored [a touchdown], we was going for two at the end of the game.” The superstar defender made it clear that KC had “rehearsed it” for weeks.
Instead, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan took the ball first and his offense only mustered up a field goal. At that point, Andy Reid and Mahomes were in the driver’s seat — and they knew it.
“None of us have a ton of experience with it,” Shanahan said regarding his decision to take the ball first after the game, “but we went through all the analytics and talked to those guys, and we just decided we wanted the ball [on the] third [possession].”
The problem with that strategy? Mahomes, Hardman and the Chiefs never allowed for possession number three.
Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman Finds Redemption in Super Bowl Victory Over 49ers
After leaving to the New York Jets in free agency, Hardman was traded back to the Chiefs before the deadline. The KC reunion was a silver lining in an otherwise miserable campaign for the former second-round selection.
After achieving 500 or more scrimmage yards in each of his first three seasons of his career, Hardman produced 328 in 2022 and just six total yards over his five games in New York. Later, he added another 121 yards over six regular season outings with the Chiefs.
With free agency looming once again, Hardman’s relevance as a legitimate NFL playmaker took a bit of a hit in 2023 leading up to the Super Bowl. Until his huge performance offered redemption.
On a night where secondary weapons were needed, Hardman came up clutch with three catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. He only had two receptions for five yards during the first three playoff outings of the 2024 winter — as well as two rushing attempts for negative five yards and a fumble.
Having said that, the Super Bowl gave Hardman the last laugh while potentially rejuvenating his career.
WHAT THEY GONE SAY NOW!!!!! #SUPERBOWLCHAMP3X !!!!! #WALKOFFF ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
“WHAT THEY GONE SAY NOW!!!!!” Hardman celebrated on X. “#SUPERBOWLCHAMP3X !!!!! #WALKOFFF ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️”
It will be interesting to see if the Chiefs show Hardman any interest in free agency after Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore both struggled mightily in a similar role in 2023.
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Chiefs WR Calls Out ‘False News’ as Super Bowl OT Rules Steal Headlines