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After blowing a 25-point lead in the final 17 minutes of Super Bowl LI, Atlanta Falcons never touched the ball in overtime. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots won the coin toss and promptly marched 75 yards down the field for a championship-clinching touchdown.
Had the Patriots come up empty on that drive or kicked a field goal, the Falcons would have received a possession of their own. But under NFL rules, if a team scores a touchdown on the opening drive of overtime, the game is over.
Thomas Dimitroff would like to see that rule changed.
The Falcons general manager said Tuesday on “PFT Live” he believes teams that surrender a quick score in OT deserve an opportunity to match. No such proposal is on the table at this year’s NFL Annual Meeting, however, which Dimitroff acknowledged.
“I would like to have a chance, of course, but that’s not where we are right now,” Dimitroff said. “And I’m a big league guy, so I’m supportive of where we are right now.
“Personally, I’d like us to continue to discuss that. I understand coin flips. I understand when Tom Brady flipped the coin — when it flipped in his favor in the middle of the field — there’s a guy who’s incredibly special when the game’s on the line, so that’s a difficult situation. … We would like to have an opportunity.”
The Patriots’ 25-point comeback was the largest in Super Bowl history, more than doubling the previous record of 10 points. The Falcons were held scoreless on their final four possessions and managed just seven points after halftime.
Thumbnail photo via Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports Images
