Chris Jones on 49ers receiving in overtime: 'They're crazy'
In the past, if an NFL game went to overtime, teams always wanted the ball. If they scored, the game was over. If they didn’t, they knew what their defense had to do. The mystery of the situation was gone.
However, since the NFL changed its overtime rules in March 2022, the defending team will always have a chance to match the opponents’ first drive in overtime, or exceed it to win the game. When the 49ers won the coin toss ahead of overtime, fans expected them to defer. Instead, they boldly wanted the ball.
The gutsy move backfired. The 49ers were only able to find three points on the opening drive of overtime, leaving an opening for the Chiefs to win the game. They took advantage. With three seconds left in overtime, Patrick Mahomes found Mecole Hardman in the end zone. Ball game.
After the game, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones addressed the 49ers’ decision to take ball first in overtime.
“They’re crazy,” Jones said. “The overtime rules have changed where both teams get the ball no matter who scores. You want to let the other team get the ball. Stop them and hold them to three [points], so you know what you got. Or, if you stop and they punt it, now all you have do is kick three.”
“That’s the type of trust we have in each other. If we get the ball back to Andy [Reid], Pat [Mahomes] and Travis [Kelce], we always feel like there’s something they can do at any given moment that could put it in the end zone and they just did that.”
49ers claim they weren’t aware of overtime rules
Evidently, the recently-changed overtime rules weren’t apparent to everyone on the field. After the game, multiple 49ers players claimed they weren’t aware of the new overtime rules.
“I didn’t even know about the new playoff overtime rule, so it was a surprise to me,” Niners defensive lineman Arik Armstead said, via ESPN. “I didn’t even really know what was going on in terms of that.”
Additionally, fullback Kyle Juszczyk echoed Armstead’s sentiment, explaining that he still believed the NFL was utilizing the overtime rules of yesteryear.
“You know what? I didn’t even realize the playoff rules were different in overtime,” Juszczyk said. “I assume you just want the ball to score a touchdown and win… I guess that’s not the case. I don’t totally know the strategy there. We hadn’t talked about it, no.”