Chiefs' Trick Play in Super Bowl Inspired by 1948 Rose Bowl, Says Eric Bieniemy

Blake SchusterContributor IIIFebruary 3, 2020

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy addresses the media during an NFL football news conference Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs will face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 54. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Kansas City's offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, went old school when studying film ahead of the Chiefs' 31-20 Super Bowl LIV victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

One of the plays he called at the goal line was straight out of the 1948 Rose Bowl between Michigan and USC. The trick play involved the offense lining up before spinning over to the right to throw the defense off and allow running back Damien Williams to sneak through the middle for a first down.

"I probably shouldn't be giving this away," Bieniemy said after letting reporters know where he came up with the idea. "It's just a play we've been working and wondering when we can polish it off. It was fun to watch."

Here's what it looked like back in 1948:

Alex Kirshner @alex_kirshner
Going through these grainy 1948 Rose Bowl highlights, this might actually be the play the Chiefs stole. More of an inside running path here. Anyway, Fritz Crisler Michigan was very cool https://t.co/tzs2VSXMBz

And here's what it looked like Sunday:

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The Checkdown @thecheckdown
ANDY REID IS PLAYING TO WIN ON 4TH DOWN https://t.co/itlb5Wr2do

Bieniemy noted it was a play the Chiefs had worked on throughout the year but hadn't been ready to deploy yet.

"Those guys did a great job of executing it." Bieniemy said. "I mean, all that hard work and practicing that play for the entire season. It just worked and it paid off."