Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts delivered a Super Bowl thriller for the ages, but a controversial holding call in the final minutes robbed fans of a do-or-die final drive and led to an anticlimactic chip shot field goal for the Chiefs to win a second championship in the last four seasons.
Facing a 3rd-and-8 at the Eagles’ 15-yard line, Patrick Mahomes lofted a pass that went too deep for JuJu Smith-Schuster to catch – but a flag was thrown on James Bradberry for defensive holding. The penalty gave the Chiefs a first down, and with the Eagles down to one timeout, allowed Kansas City to kill the clock.
Bradberry, after the game, did admit that he tugged on Smith-Schuster’s jersey.
Harrison Butker made a game-winning 27-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining, and Jalen Hurts’ one shot at a miracle pass fell incomplete.
Replays showed that Bradberry did make contact with Smith-Schuster – but in a game where the officials had largely let the players play, and with a Super Bowl on the line, fans couldn’t believe the call.
This was called holding
Do you agree?
pic.twitter.com/9FzVFXkD9Q— PFF (@PFF) February 13, 2023
Are you kidding me? Another SUPER suspect holding call deciding the end of the SuperBowl 🧐🤔
— CJ Uzomah (@cj_uzomah) February 13, 2023
Back-to-back Super Bowls with iffy third-down defensive holding calls in the red zone in the final 2 minutes.
— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) February 13, 2023
Softest holding call I’ve seen in some time. Might cost a team a Super Bowl.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) February 13, 2023
When the Super Bowl script calls for a defensive holding allowing for the Chiefs to kick a game winning field goal
— Trent (@Trenciarte) February 13, 2023
Usually don’t get involved in ripping referees but HATE that defensive holding call on Bradberry. 35-35 late on a 3rd down incompletion on what was a marginal foul???
Let em play man!!
Bad call-hate that is what many will take away from this game.— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) February 13, 2023
Roger Goodell said ““I think for us, when you look at officiating, I don’t think it’s ever been better in the league” pic.twitter.com/MaUJsB4PwZ
— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) February 13, 2023
Hate to see such a great SB turn on a ticky tack holding call. That was super minor.
— Bill Mitchell (@mitchellvii) February 13, 2023
Sorry but I don’t like that call! Not for the Super Bowl man! 🤦🏾♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 13, 2023
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. Damn! By the way I have no horse in the race. Just my professional opinion
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 13, 2023
That's a terrible penalty and the game is going to essentially end because of it.
NFL officiating ruined an all-time classic.
— Ryan Talbot (@RyanTalbotBills) February 13, 2023
Absolutely awful penalty
Horrible call
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) February 13, 2023
DEFINITELY NOT A PENALTY ON BRADBERRY.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 13, 2023
The guys who wrote the penalty ending script. pic.twitter.com/AGnEN6uArW
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) February 13, 2023
Penalty was NOT “clear & obvious” yet the @NFL officials had to make it about them. Ball was NOT even catchable which has me baffled with that law and why not have the ability to challenge bad calls. They can but have they ever overturned them?! #SuperBowl
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) February 13, 2023
Decisive holding penalty called on the Eagles.
It's an incredibly lame way for this game to be decided but can also see a (very slight) jersey tug pic.twitter.com/l7TJjVF2eo
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) February 13, 2023
• Minimal contact
• Zero restriction
• Ball uncatchableBiggest play of the game and the referee makes it about himself
— Will Compton (@_willcompton) February 13, 2023
James Bradberry takes accountability for his controversial penalty. “It was a holding. I tugged on the jersey.” pic.twitter.com/YqT7wsAzMY
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) February 13, 2023
