Not a lot of vets make that move. But #Chiefs Jerick McKinnon sacrificed a TD to help the Chiefs win the Super Bowl and it was just a routine play. pic.twitter.com/BsrYd2ENEp
Buy Chiefs Tickets— PJ Green (@PJGreenTV) February 19, 2023
Kansas City Chiefs RB Jerick McKinnon had one of the key plays in Super Bowl LVII, one that was fueled by season-long preparation for situational football.
McKinnon sacrificed personal glory, sliding down at the Philadelphia two-yard line with less than two minutes on the clock. He could have rushed for the score, but the decision to slide allowed Kansas City to milk the clock and kick what would have been a game-winning field goal.
This decision came after months of conditioning and practice for situational football. In this specific situation, it called for what the team describes as “Church Mode.” It’s essentially the two-minute drill in reverse. Instead of hurrying up to score, you’re slowing things down to run out the clock and make a game-winning kick.
Speaking to FOX 4 KC’s Harold R. Kuntz at DICK’S Sporting Goods in Zona Rosa on Sunday, McKinnon revealed more details about the call for situational football.
“Like I’ve been saying, we practiced that play every week,” McKinnon explained. “I talked to a couple of guys and I don’t think everyone really knew what was going on until it happened. It’s just one of those things that, I didn’t really think too much of it because that’s how we were coached. That’s how coach (Andy) Reid coaches us. When that play came up, obviously, I didn’t understand the magnitude of it until after it happened. Then you just see everyone else’s reaction, like I said, man, it’s all been a blessing.”
McKinnon’s teammate reiterated the fact that the team practices this moment every week. In each of the 19 games prior, the situation never came up once, but the fact that they practiced that situation so consistently made the team ready when the opportunity knocked.
“No cap, we practice this play every week,” Valdes-Scantling tweeted. “And it had never come up until the Super Bowl. Crazy how months of preparation comes down to one play.”
While some people have told McKinnon that he should’ve just gone ahead and scored at that moment, he knows that he did right by his coaches and teammates. And he’ll go down in Super Bowl infamy for the decision not to score.
“Some people have been (telling) me, ‘Oh, I would have scored if I was you.’ Yeah, I mean, I get both sides, but it wasn’t even a hesitation in my mind to score once I knew what situation we were in,” McKinnon concluded. “It’s just been a blessing, man. All the reactions from the fans, the people. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
