For Monday’s version of the “Soccer Morning in America” column, NBC Sports’ Peter King requested San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan if he is nonetheless “haunted” by the truth that the Atlanta Falcons famously blew a 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots in Tremendous Bowl LI in February 2017 when Shanahan served at Atlanta’s offensive coordinator.
“No,” Shanahan instantly responded. “It hurts. It doesn’t kill you. You perceive what occurred. You perceive you possibly can deal with it. You possibly can take it. ‘Haunted’ is simply such the flawed phrase. It makes you stronger, actually. However, you already know, should you inform me earlier than that sport you’re going to blow a 28-3 lead and lose, I’d be like, ‘Do I ever come out of my room once more?’ You understand, that is sports activities. Any one among 20 totally different performs would’ve modified that sport.”
In fact, Tremendous Bowl LI is not the one heartbreak Shanahan has endured throughout his teaching profession. In February 2020, his 49ers held a 20-10 lead halfway by way of the fourth quarter of Tremendous Bowl LIV however in the end misplaced that sport to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs 31-20.
Shanahan and firm will try to get revenge towards the Chiefs this coming Sunday.
“The more durable one was the Kansas Metropolis sport, personally,” Shanahan mentioned about evaluating the occasions of Tremendous Bowl LI and Tremendous Bowl LIV. “As you grow old and also you undergo the expertise, you simply…you attempt to management all the things. You understand you possibly can’t. You additionally understand you possibly can deal with it. And also you understand how a lot you find it irresistible.”
As of early Monday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the 49ers as two-point favorites versus the Chiefs. San Francisco has remained a constant betting favourite since convention championship Sunday.
“What does get you choked up is how shut you get with individuals while you go on a playoff run, a Tremendous Bowl run. You’ll bear in mind it eternally—all of the shared sacrifice,” Shanahan added. “Once you lose, and you’re feeling the heartbreak, you get to see the way you deal with it, the way you react, the way you deal with the stress the subsequent time. And, oh my gosh, you understand, ‘I’m this. I can do that.’ You get to undergo one thing you like, one thing that’s extra vital in life than virtually something. That’s what I discovered about soccer rising up, nevertheless it solely will get stronger as I grow old.”
Issues typically change rapidly within the NFL, so Shanahan might by no means once more have nearly as good an opportunity to turn out to be a Tremendous Bowl champion head coach as he’ll at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on the second Sunday of February.