Super Bowl 58

58 was tied at 19 after 60 minutes of regulation.

Fred Warner of the 49ers and Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs met at midfield for the coin toss, the 49ers won.

The 49ers elected to take the ball. They elected to receive. Because you're now guaranteed a second possession, no matter what happens, with that

first possession in playoff overtime, it's a more complicated decision than anyone has ever faced, and this

was the first time anyone had to face it.

Here is Kyle Shanahan after the game on why the 49ers made the decision to take the ball first in overtime.

This is something we talked about with, you know, that none of us have a ton of experience of it, but we went through all the analytics and talked to those guys and we just

thought to be better, we wanted the ball third

if both teams matched and scored we want to be the ones who have the chance to go win

and we got that field goal so we know we had to hold them to at least a field goal

and if we did then we felt it was in our hands after that.

It's not an easy decision. It's not at all.

The choices are simple though. Right. You receive or you kick.

Yeah.

Now, if you're going to kick, it's important to defer.

Right. Here's why.

There could be a second half to overtime.

Right.

After that first 30 minutes, 15 and 15, they have a little break, and then they kick off again.

So if you choose to kick, if the chiefs had won and said, well kick, the 49ers would have had if it had gotten there.

Right.

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