Tamba Hali recently admitted that, at times when Patrick Mahomes was on the bench behind Alex Smith in 2017, Chiefs players wanted Mahomes to play. https://t.co/U9kNvalVfY
Speaking of Alex Smith... he's living in SF now & playing to the local fans. At least he didn't go full Steve Bono:
Alex Smith believes bad luck played into 49ers' Super Bowl losses
There are a handful of reasons why the 49ers might have lost Super Bowl LVIII to the Kansas City Chiefs.
San Francisco's defense couldn't stop superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense when it mattered most. The 49ers' wide receivers struggled to get separation in Kansas City's zone defense, leading to empty offensive possessions in the second half.
However, sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way.
Former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith joined KNBR 680's "Murph & Markus" on Friday morning and was asked about San Francisco failing to win the Super Bowl after coming close on multiple occasions over the years and if they have a problem getting over the hump and winning the "big game."
"It's a good problem. You can take six plays from this last Super Bowl and if the ball just bounces a different way on one of them, the Niners are holding up the Lombardi," Smith said. "You got to keep getting opportunities, and there is a certain amount of luck in this, and I think unfortunately they've been on the wrong side of it a few times. And Kyle [Shanahan] has been on the wrong side of it even more.
"This kind of sustained success they're having, that is so rare. It's so rare, it's so hard to do and they just need to keep knocking at the door. And they're going to get it."
Shanahan, as a coach and offensive coordinator, has been on the losing end of three Super Bowls after his team held fourth-quarter leads. Widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the NFL, Shanahan -- similar to the early career of former Philadelphia Eagles and current Chiefs coach Andy Reid -- has come away empty-handed in the playoffs.
"And it's so funny that Kyle and the Niners have lost twice to the Chiefs and Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, because this was kind of Andy's thing for so long, all the sustained success he had in Philly but couldn't win the big game," Smith added. "It kind of reminds me a little bit of what Kyle's going through.
"Clearly everybody recognized their offensive geniuses, some of the best coaches in the NFL and couldn't get it done. And all of a sudden you finally do and now Andy's on the Mount Rushmore of coaches. It can change very quickly and I think it's going to for Kyle and this Niners team."
Reid posted a 130-93-1 record in 14 seasons as the Eagles coach. Philadelphia made the playoffs nine times during his tenure and consistently was one of the best teams in the league. But Reid never won a Super Bowl.
Until seven years later when he finally hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating Shanahan and the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. He went on to win two more against the Eagles in 2023 and of course San Francisco again in 2024.
Will Shanahan and the 49ers follow a similar path?
I mean, he is right. Luck is one of many factors in who wins the superbowl and we had more of it than the niners, at least in the second meeting. It didn't hurt that Shanahan is a choke artist and we have the greatest player on the planet, either. [Reply]
Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501:
Love me some tamba but we didn't need to know that. I was perfectly content with mahomes being great and Alex being ceremiously moved. Even if we know tambas right
Alex will be fine. If these comments from Tamba Hali (a far and away more likable guy, I might add) rustle Smith's jimmies, he can wear his super duper, emotional support safety pin that he busts out when he's all in his own feels. 😂
And besides. It is merely a drop in the bucket compared to all the nauseating Alex Smith slobberfest coverage that occurs from time to time. I don't care how much the media love him. I'll never care for the dude. He was the perfect poster boy for the Chiefs' mediocrity-at-best aura that loomed over Arrowhead for several decades. Thank goodness Patrick Mahomes instantly and once and for all demolished that stank with a sledgehammer. 🙏🏻😎
Originally Posted by T-post Tom:
Nobody is re-litigating. Just getting a player's behind-the-scenes perspective. Well ok, maybe Florio went overboard in the article. That's why I only posted the tweet.
It’s old news… already known.
But congrats on helping to get clickbait whore Florio his desired clicks. [Reply]
Originally Posted by GeorgeZimZam:
Alex will be fine. If these comments from Tamba Hali (a far and away more likable guy, I might add) rustle Smith's jimmies, he can wear his super duper, emotional support safety pin that he busts out when he's all in his own feels. ��
And besides. It is merely a drop in the bucket compared to all the nauseating Alex Smith slobberfest coverage that occurs from time to time. I don't care how much the media love him. I'll never care for the dude. He was the perfect poster boy for the Chiefs' mediocrity-at-best aura that loomed over Arrowhead for several decades. Thank goodness Patrick Mahomes instantly and once and for all demolished that stank with a sledgehammer. ������
Nah I don't feel that way at all. His comments were harmless. I just don't think they were necessary or get any hatred for the guy. I wanted to move off from him as much as anyone. But he restored a franchise in the gutter, got us our first playoff win in decades, and was an absolute pro during the mahomes transition into retirement. I have no bad feelings whatsoever other than maybe it ended a year later than it should've... Maybe [Reply]
Originally Posted by FloridaMan88:
It’s old news… already known.
But congrats on helping to get clickbait whore Florio his desired clicks.
This.
It’s the most obvious thing in the world. We had a home game that season against the Bills where we didn’t have a first down in the first half. Some players at times would’ve preferred having their first round pick who was throwing no-look passes in practice as the starter? Shocker! Alex Smith is going to be hurt by this report? Are you people kidding? He’s a totally smart, self-aware person. If 100pct of Chiefs players passed a polygraph that they didn’t want Mahomes as their starter at some point during that season, that would be the news. [Reply]
Originally Posted by GeorgeZimZam:
Alex will be fine. If these comments from Tamba Hali (a far and away more likable guy, I might add) rustle Smith's jimmies, he can wear his super duper, emotional support safety pin that he busts out when he's all in his own feels. 😂
And besides. It is merely a drop in the bucket compared to all the nauseating Alex Smith slobberfest coverage that occurs from time to time. I don't care how much the media love him. I'll never care for the dude. He was the perfect poster boy for the Chiefs' mediocrity-at-best aura that loomed over Arrowhead for several decades. Thank goodness Patrick Mahomes instantly and once and for all demolished that stank with a sledgehammer. 🙏🏻😎
So you’re blaming him for the fact that Reid kept him as the QB? Is that his fault?
And the “slobberfest” just might, might be a function of the fact that the guy was mangled on the field and nearly died from being septic yet eventually worked his way back to play again. That’s nauseating? You’d rather blame him for the fact that he was a complete professional dedicated to the team who just didn’t have the generational talent of his predecessor?
Again, blame Reid and Veach. They were running things in 2017 and kept Alex as the starter. He didn’t sulk and throw a fit demanding that role because of his “feels.” [Reply]
I told my brothers after the Titans playoff loss in 2017 that if the chiefs had really wanted to win, they should have played Mahomes.
The way he tore up the league all throughout 2018, there is no doubt in my mind that those playoff defenses would not have had an enough time to figure out how to defend him. [Reply]
It’s the most obvious thing in the world. We had a home game that season against the Bills where we didn’t have a first down in the first half. Some players at times would’ve preferred having their first round pick who was throwing no-look passes in practice as the starter? Shocker! Alex Smith is going to be hurt by this report? Are you people kidding? He’s a totally smart, self-aware person. If 100pct of Chiefs players passed a polygraph that they didn’t want Mahomes as their starter at some point during that season, that would be the news.
I think that report would sting Smith a little bit. If only because it was said out loud by a former teammate. Smith has pride. But he’d never admit that it stung. At least not in public. I like that about him. [Reply]
Originally Posted by penchief:
I told my brothers after the Titans playoff loss in 2017 that if the chiefs had really wanted to win, they should have played Mahomes.
The way he tore up the league all throughout 2018, there is no doubt in my mind that those playoff defenses would not have had an enough time to figure out how to defend him.
I don’t think anyone disagrees with this. Even at the time, it seemed like it may have been the case.
I just don’t think there’s anyone to blame but Reid. Full stop. How would you ever hold this against Alex Smith?
And do you guys want to hold this as a black mark against Reid? [Reply]