The usual postgame handshake between head coaches was missing after the Super Bowl. Kansas City won over San Francisco 25-22, but 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan didn't meet Andy Reid afterwards.
Shanahan went directly to the locker room, bypassing the handshake. It seemed like a snub, but Shanahan clarified it wasn't.
"We talked on Monday [Feb. 5]," Shanahan said. "When we played each other last time, it took about 25 minutes to shake his hand. So, we both talked on Monday that regardless of who won, I mean I love Andy, I'm tight with Andy, but we talked both of us are going to do that because it's too hard to get to each other after these Super Bowls."
Shanahan's decision to skip the handshake wasn't about poor sportsmanship. He's shown good sportsmanship before, like after Super Bowl LIV. Despite a tough loss, he waited to shake Reid's hand then.
The chaos of the Super Bowl's end makes handshakes challenging, leading both coaches to skip it this time. Postgame handshakes often make headlines, such as Tom Brady's notable absence in shaking Nick Foles' hand after Super Bowl LII. Brady claims it wasn't intentional.
Unlike Brady's situation, it's clear Shanahan didn't intentionally snub Reid after their recent Super Bowl matchup.