Giants legend rips overtime rules showcased in Super Bowl

New York Giants legend and CBS Sports NFL analyst Tiki Barber clearly isn't a fan of the overtime rules showcased in this past Sunday's Super Bowl LVIII clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. 

"The new NFL overtime rule in the playoffs is nonsense," Barber said during Monday's edition of the WFAN "Evan and Tiki" program, per Andrew Gould of The Spun. "It's absolute nonsense. To make a clock mean nothing is nonsense. The clock has to end the game. I understand why they do it this way because you want to be fair. But it takes all urgency out of football."

The NFL changed overtime rules for postseason contests after the Chiefs scored a game-winning touchdown on the only offensive possession of the extra period of a playoff matchup versus the Buffalo Bills in January 2022. 

Both teams competing in a playoff game are now given at least one chance to possess the ball, and Edward Sutelan of The Sporting News explained that postseason overtimes are essentially cut into quarters. 

Thus, the Chiefs weren't in danger of losing Sunday's game due to the clock expiring when quarterback Patrick Mahomes dropped back to pass in the final seconds of the first overtime period. 

Mahomes ultimately connected with wide receiver Mecole Hardman for a three-yard walk-off touchdown with three seconds on the clock. 

"Football, in my mind, is competing against an opponent," Barber continued during the show segment. "But it's also competing against these forces that constrain you. It's the field, it's the officials, and it's the clock. And overtime in the NFL playoffs, they have neutered the clock, and it makes no sense to me."

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the overtime of Sunday's game is that 49ers players later admitted they weren't as aware of the new rules as were members of the Chiefs. 

San Francisco did convert a field goal on its one overtime possession and would've won the game had its defense stopped Mahomes and the Kansas City offense. 

Nevertheless, one wonders if 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan would handle things differently if given a mulligan.