SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Before the San Francisco 49ers started their latest postseason run, coach Kyle Shanahan sat down with the team's analytics staff and went through the potential scenarios for a game that might reach overtime.
The NFL installed new rules for postseason overtime in March 2022 that would allow for each team to get a possession regardless of what the team with the ball first does (unless there is a defensive score).
But the Niners had not been involved in an overtime game in the playoffs in that time. All of which made what happened in Sunday night's Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs uncharted territory for both teams.
After multiple Niners said after the game they were not aware of the overtime setup, Shanahan said Tuesday he had laid out a plan with his staff before the playoffs began.