Would the Chiefs have won Super Bowl LIII if not for Dee Ford’s offsides penalty in the AFC Championship Game? Would Ford be in San Francisco now?
The 49ers defensive lineman indicated he hasn’t thought about the penalty that negated a game-sealing interception for the Chiefs with 54 seconds remaining against the Patriots a year ago.
Ford, traded by Kansas City to San Francisco in the offseason, shook his head Friday when asked if lining up offsides had crossed his mind.
“A special situation,” Ford said, via Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee. “I’m blessed. Looking forward to better results.”
He said the 37-31 overtime loss to the Patriots ranks “up there” among the toughest in his career.
Ford has had no offsides penalties in 248 snaps he has played this season, including the 22 last week in the divisional round. He drew 14 offsides or neutral-zone infractions his previous four seasons with the Chiefs, according to Cam Inman of the Mercury News.
If things go as planned for Ford, he will face the Chiefs in the Super Bowl two weeks from Sunday.
“That would be a fun deal,” Ford said, via Biderman. “[But] nobody’s looking forward. They’ve got a good test in front of them; we’ve got a good test in front of us. We’ve got a lot of work in front of us.”