Kyle Shanahan is never going to get over being on the losing end of the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history.
The Atlanta Falcons had a 25-point lead over the New England Patriots in the third quarter of Super Bowl LI, only to lose 34-28 in overtime. Shanahan, who was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator during the game, was responsible for calling some pretty questionable plays, and that’s not something he’s going to forget any time soon.
“I remember every single play, and I will go over those for the rest of my life,” Shanahan told the San Francisco Bay Area media Thursday, per ESPN.com. “That’s kind of the life we live as coaches. It’s magnified in the Super Bowl, but it’s also that case in every game.”
Shanahan’s situation is even more unique, as he agreed to become the next head coach of the San Francisco 49ers before the Super Bowl. He was supposed to jet off to the West Coast on Monday, the day after the game, but Niners CEO Jed York told him to take an extra day and a half. Shanahan spent time with the Falcons on Monday instead.
“I was definitely grieving it, and I probably will for a while, but to be able to go up to the building in Atlanta the next day and get to talk to all the players — all of us spent some time together — and go through it again really gave us some closure on it,” Shanahan said. “We put our whole heart and souls into that season, into that game. We did everything we could. I know the results weren’t what we wanted; you’ve got to live with that. But I’m real proud of the coaching staff, myself, the players, that we did as good as we could.
“We had no hesitation, and we let it all out there. You’ve got to live with the results, but that’s why we’re in this business. You’ve got to take the good with the bad. I’m just very happy that I was a part of it.”
Thumbnail photo via Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports Images
