Yesterday, football fans were treated to one of the closest, most competitive Super Bowl contests in recent memory. The ascendant Kansas City Chiefs battled through the gauntlet for the second time in four years to become Super Bowl champions and brought home another title for the city.
However, some Philadelphia fans are sore about how things went in the game’s final minutes. With a lot on the line, Eagles player James Bradberry reached around and grabbed Chiefs’ player JuJu Smith-Schuster by the jersey, resulting in a holding call. This incensed many Eagles supporters who felt it was too late in the game, with too much riding on the penalty, for the officials to make such a call.
The Critical Call
With only under two minutes on the clock, the Chiefs needed to make something happen. League MVP Patrick Mahomes knew this and went for a deep pass to Smith-Schuster on a third down, but the ball didn’t quite find its mark and landed on the field. This would require the Chiefs to kick for a field goal to go ahead, leaving the competent Eagles offense with plenty of time to rush for a touchdown.
Thankfully for the Chiefs, James Bradberry reached his arm over Smich-Schuster’s jersey and tugged at him during the play, resulting in a penalty and an automatic first down. This gave the Chiefs plenty of time to run the clock down before making a go-ahead field goal and all but clinching victory.
Fan Outcry
The play-by-play announcers immediately derided the call on the air. “On this stage, I think you let them play; finish this thing out,” announcer Greg Olsen griped immediately after the penalty. “I don’t love that call.” Several other prominent sports personalities also weighed in on Twitter.
“Sorry but I don’t like that call! Not for the Super Bowl man!” tweeted NBA player LeBron James. “His hand on his back had no effect on his route! This game was too damn good for that call to dictate the outcome at the end,” James continued in a separate tweet. “By the way, I have no horse in the race. Just my professional opinion.”
Players Agreed with the Call
Notably, the players on the field largely agreed with the holding call. “It was a holding,” Bradberry plainly told reporters after the game ended. “I tugged his jersey. I was hoping they would let it slide.” Many Chiefs fans hope that Bradberry’s straightforward explanation puts the issue to rest.
Still, given the close nature of the game and the high emotions surrounding it, fans on social media are sure to continue arguing about whether a single call decided the game for some time.
