Steven Sipple: After “devastating” Super Bowl LIV loss, ex-Husker Daniel Bullocks gets another chance against the great Patrick Mahomes
Daniel Bullocks — yes, the Daniel Bullocks who had two of Nebraska’s nation-leading 32 interceptions in 2003 — has to pinch himself sometimes.
The 40-year-old on Sunday will coach in his second Super Bowl.
“It’s a blessing,” Bullocks told me Friday night. “Dream come true.”
Ah, but as is often the case in the sport of football, the picture is imperfect. There are immense challenges. Bullocks coached safeties for the San Francisco 49ers during the 2019 season when they lost 31-20 to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. Nowadays, Bullocks coaches the entire Niners’ secondary as they prepare to play the Chiefs again for all the marbles.
You can probably guess what has been dominating Bullocks’ thoughts lately.
“Man, it’s the quarterback,” Bullocks said. “It’s Patrick Mahomes. He’s the guy.”
No reason to overthink it, right? After all, Mahomes, 28, will play in his fourth Super Bowl, and he already has two championship rings. If you follow the sport of football at all, you understand what makes him so dynamic.
What does Mahomes do that a layman like myself might not immediately recognize?
“He’s an incredible processor,” Bullocks said. “He can read defenses so well. He almost always knows where to go with the ball.”
Bullocks makes it clear that not every NFL quarterback reads defenses well — in fact, some struggle with it, he said (which sort of surprises me).
Mahomes, however, could teach a master’s class on the subject.
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Bullocks says Niners have to “mix it up” against Mahomes
Because of his quick-functioning brain power, Mahomes often puts an inordinate amount of pressure on defenses. That certainly could be the case in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. CT.
“We’ll try to give him different looks, mix it up,” said Bullocks, a Niners assistant coach since 2017. “With Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, you’ve got to Rolodex your coverages. If you stay in the same coverage, he’ll pick you apart.”
On those plays where you play a perfect coverage, Bullocks said, Mahomes still presents problems for a secondary, and everyone else on defense.
“You’ve got to be ready to cover your guy twice because he can extend plays,” the coach said. “That’s what’s very challenging on our end. I tell our dudes we’ve got to be in (the receivers’) back pockets. It’s got to be body-on-body coverage and be ready to plaster. So, when he does scramble, you’ve got to keep your eyes on your luggage and do not look back for the ball.
“We’ve got to buy time for our rushers. Of course, our rushers have to get home. But they’ve also got to keep him contained as well, which is a challenge in itself.”
As Bullocks assesses Mahomes, a question arises in my mind: How do you pick against the guy?
So, let’s say Chiefs 28, Niners 24.
I’ll be rooting for the Niners, though, to crack the Mahomes code and give Kyle Shanahan his first Super Bowl crown.
Purdy is also exceptional when it comes to reading defenses
Of course, San Francisco will lean on Brock Purdy, its second-year quarterback. He’s also exceptional when it comes to reading defenses, Bullocks noted.
It did surprise me to hear that there are NFL quarterbacks who are only so-so in that area.
“There definitely are some who struggle,” Bullocks said. “If you change up the picture quickly, it can throw off a lot of quarterbacks. They don’t know what coverage you’re in. You can bait them. You can dictate where you want that ball to go. We always say we want the ball to go to the ‘kill zone.’
“But there are some guys out there, as soon as the ball is snapped — even if the picture changes — they know exactly what to do. They’re dangerous, especially when they can extend plays with their legs. Now you’ve got to chase them all day, and they can wear your defensive line down.”
Make no mistake, Bullocks has supreme confidence in Purdy.
“Brock Purdy’s a quick processor,” the coach said. “He can see coverages change. He sees well pre-snap and post-snap. He knows where to go with the ball, and he can let it rip.”
Perhaps Purdy, 24, will be able to slay the dragon. But you wonder: Will Purdy, the last pick in an NFL draft held only 22 months ago, be somewhat overwhelmed while becoming the third-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl — a game that could end his franchise’s 29-year title drought?
Purdy is a grounded young man. But it’s only fair to wonder.
Bullocks says Super Bowl LIV loss was “devastating”
Meanwhile, Bullocks, a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, keeps his mind on the “main thing.” Yes, he’s interested in someday becoming a defensive coordinator, he said. His name’s even been mentioned for D.C. jobs, most notably for the Los Angeles Chargers.
It perhaps helps matters that he’s worked under three defensive coordinators in San Francisco — Robert Saleh (2017-2020), DeMeco Ryans (2021-2022), and now Steve Wilks. Bullocks has learned plenty, obviously.
But the “main thing” for him this week is the Chiefs’ offense. It’s Travis Kelce. It’s avenging the loss in Super Bowl LIV.
Mostly, though, it’s that guy Mahomes.
Bullocks obviously knows what the Niners are up against. Get this: Bullocks didn’t watch tape of Super Bowl LIV in its entirety until last year — nearly three years after the fact.
“That’s how devastating it was. It’s just knowing we were the better team, but those guys took it away from us,” Bullocks said. “You’ve got to give them credit. They made the plays you’re supposed to make down the stretch. When I think about that game, you know, we were up 10 points (20-10) with six minutes to go. By the time the game was over, we had lost by 11.
“That’s how quickly things can change, especially when you’re going against a good football team and a guy like Patrick Mahomes. But we’ve had a great week of preparation. Our guys are ready.”
The energy is Bullocks’ voice is evident. How could he not be excited?
Yes, sir, it’s the Super Bowl, his second one at a relatively young age.
“Man, it’s surreal,” he said. “We’ve got to finish now. Got to finish.”
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