Super Bowl LVII had all the makings of an instant classic finish—right up until the game’s most pivotal play turned on a questionable penalty.
With the score tied at 35 apiece, the Chiefs were driving inside the Philadelphia 20-yard line facing a third-and-8. Patrick Mahomes’s pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster fell incomplete, but the referee threw a flag for defensive holding on James Bradberry, giving Kansas City the first down.
That enabled the Chiefs to burn nearly all of the remaining time on the clock, kneeling twice to set up the game-winning 27-yard field goal by Harrison Butker. The Eagles got the ball back for one final play, with Hurts coming up short on his Hail Mary attempt.
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The penalty was a pivotal turning point in what was a thrilling second half. Philadelphia held a 24–14 lead through two quarters, possessing the ball for over 20 minutes and keeping Mahomes and the Chiefs offense on the sideline. Kansas City flipped the script in the second half, scoring on each of its four possessions.
After the game, Smith-Schuster was asked whether he actually was held on the play, insisting that he did. Bradberry conceded that he grabbed Smith-Schuster’s jersey.
Despite the play’s two central figures agreeing with the officials’ call, that didn’t stop viewers from expressing their displeasure that such a captivating game was decided on a penalty. Check out some of the most notable reactions below.
