The NFL might want to send a refresher memo about its overtime rules, both to its players and broadcast partners.
When the game clock struck zero in overtime with the Rams and 49ers tied at 24 -- the first draw since 2008 -- there were apparently players on both teams who expected to keep playing.
According to Peter King of SI, St. Louis receiver Danny Amendola told him that he thought there would be a second overtime period and didn't know that the game was over until he heard from the official. He wasn't the only one.
"I didn’t know you could tie. When I saw both sides walking onto the field, I was like, ‘Where’s everybody going?" 49ers safety Dashon Goldson told Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group.
The NFL changed its overtime rules back in 2010 to what it called a "modified sudden death," but only for the postseason. Two playoff games had gone into overtime since then but the new rules didn't play a role. It wasn't until before this season that the league implemented the revised OT rules in the regular season.
CLICK HERE for full text of NFL overtime rules.
What never changed, however, was that there was still only one overtime period. Despite this constant, even FOX seemed confused, showing a graphic that proclaimed the "End Of 1st OT" when time expired (H/T Awful Announcing).
Back when he was the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008, Donovan McNabb made the mistake of thinking there would be a second overtime. Since it's Goldson's sixth year in the league, it's a wonder why he didn't remember the Eagles-Bengals draw.