The Chiefs Were Thrilled When the 49ers Wanted the Ball in Overtime at Super Bowl LVIII

The Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII in an overtime thriller. There has been a lot of discourse over the past few days concerning 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan's decision to take the ball to start overtime. We now have video evidence that the Chiefs were thrilled with Shanahan's call.

For those uninitiated to the NFL's playoff overtime rules, the game is not sudden death. No matter what happens on the opening possession, both teams get a chance to possess the ball. So the second team will have a chance to answer the first, even if the first team scores a touchdown. The game continues until the second team's initial possession is over. That means having the ball first isn't as crucial as it is during the regular season when an opening-drive touchdown can end the game.

The Chiefs claim they all knew that and were drilled on it leading up to the Super Bowl. Some of the 49ers have admitted they didn't know the rules.

Here's video of both teams discussing their strategy at the opening of the overtime period with the score tied 19-19:

The Chiefs were all very clear that they wanted the ball second, while Shanahan was definitive that he wanted the ball first. Kansas City's players almost couldn't believe the 49ers wanted the ball first.

Travis Kelce discussed the scenario with his brother Jason on their podcast this week:

The advantages to going second are obvious. You get to see what the other team does and plan your strategy accordingly. If the opponent scores on their initial possession, you know you have four downs every series to stay alive, rather than three and having to punt on fourth. That can change your playcalling a bit. Instead of needing to get 10 yards in three plays for a first down, you have four plays.

Additionally, you know if you can settle for a field goal or need to push to get into the end zone. And if you do get in the end zone, you have the option to go for two for a win or an extra point to tie and continue the game.

If you get the ball first you almost have to score points of some kind. The 49ers did, but they only got a field goal, which gave Patrick Mahomes & Co. a chance to drive for the win. And he did just that, securing a 25-22 win for his team.

There has been discussion that the 49ers' defense may have been tired at the end of regulation and needed a break. They had just allowed an 11-play, 64-yard drive in 1:50 to allow the Chiefs to tied the game with a field goal at the end of regulation. It's possible Shanahan was giving his guys a break. Regardless of that, it's obvious the strategy was the wrong choice.