CBS executive’s joke nearly backfires during Super Bowl
CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus just barely avoided a PR nightmare after the conclusion of Super Bowl LVIII.
The Kansas City Chiefs outlasted the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.
But with six seconds left in OT and the game tied at 19, it appeared as though a second overtime might be coming. McManus’ quote from earlier this week had begun to resurface on social media as the clock neared zero during the first overtime.
The CBS executive had joked on Monday that the Super Bowl would be the first ever to go to double overtime. McManus’s quip was meant to make fun of conspiracy theorists who believe the NFL to be scripted.
“The NFL has alerted us that, for the first time ever, we will have a double overtime game (in the Super Bowl),” McManus had joked several days prior to the actual game.
A reminder of what CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus said this past week: https://t.co/Rt9YzJhI6r
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 12, 2024
McManus successfully dodged the “scripted” allegations thanks to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and wide receiver Mecole Hardman. Mahomes found Hardman for a touchdown on 1st-and-goal to seal back-to-back Super Bowls for Kansas City.
THE CHIEFS ARE BACK-TO-BACK SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS! pic.twitter.com/ZzfhTyUXg9
— NFL (@NFL) February 12, 2024
McManus’ double overtime scenario may not have come to fruition, but the script couldn’t have played out any better for the NFL. Mahomes propelled himself to another stratosphere with his third Super Bowl victory in five seasons. The Chiefs star has seamlessly stepped into the NFL QB1 role previously occupied by Tom Brady for over two decades.
Mahomes went 34/46 for 333 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. The standout performance earned the 28-year-old QB his third Super Bowl MVP trophy as well.