For the first 58 minutes of the Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl, there was a palpable feeling that we just might be witnessing one of the best games in NFL history. Then the final two minutes happened.
With 1:54 to go, the score tied at 35-35, and the Chiefs facing a third-and-8 from the Philly 15-yard line, Patrick Mahomes dropped back and launched a pass to the back left corner of the end zone, sailing it well over intended target JuJu Smith-Schuster. It seemed like the Chiefs would have to settle for a field goal, and give the ball back to the Eagles with plenty of time to counter. But a flag quickly flew out to save Kansas City from what looked like a stalled drive: Smith-Schuster had been held up on a quick in-and-out whip route toward the pylon and had drawn a critical defensive holding penalty on Eagles cornerback James Bradberry.
The call, which was probably technically correct yet exasperatingly and incongruously ticky-tacky (more on that later), caused a furor both in the stadium and on social media and gave Kansas City a new set of downs. That put the Chiefs back into command, and after subsequently rebuffing the Eagles’ invitation to waltz into the end zone untouched (a ploy that would have at least given Philly the chance to counter), Kansas City kneeled the ball twice, ran the clock down to 11 seconds, and kicked the championship-sealing field goal.
No game is truly decided by one play, of course, and it’s simultaneously true that the Chiefs made the plays they needed to make to win, and the Eagles squandered too many of their own opportunities. But it’s hard to get past the thought that the league’s officials once again committed the cardinal sin of postseason football: unnecessarily inserting themselves into the story line. The resulting milquetoast finish left viewers facing an unfortunate reality: That one late call marred what could’ve been an all-time game.
Maybe that’s harsh. But Super Bowls are usually remembered for their most pivotal late-game moments—and the holding penalty on Bradberry sucked all the air out of what had been an electric, hyped-up atmosphere at State Farm Stadium. It turned what was shaping up to be a back-and-forth, barn-burning finish into a matter of simple kneel-down and field-goal-kicking procedure—like watching a blockbuster superhero movie go straight to the credits without a requisite final battle.
That was a stark and buzz-harshing contrast to the rest of the game, which had offered basically everything you could hope for from a Super Bowl. The Eagles had put together a first-half master class, building a quick, early lead with the combination of physical trench play and a tough-to-stop ground game led by Jalen Hurts. DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, and Dallas Goedert all delivered through the air, and the Eagles held a 10-point halftime lead. But despite re-aggravating his ankle injury late in the second quarter, Mahomes did what I’ve come to expect he’ll always do in the second half. There was zero panic from the Chiefs as they erased the halftime deficit and then opened up an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter. Hurts countered by scoring his third rushing touchdown of the game and knotting things up at 35-35 after a two-point conversion. It looked like we were setting up for an epic finish to a potential Mount Rushmore game.
But it didn’t play out like that. The officiating controversy reared its ugly head on the ensuing Chiefs drive. In a bang-bang play, Bradberry got a little grabby and appeared to slightly slow up Smith-Schuster on his double move. At first glance, it looked like a bad call.
Another angle showed a more prominent jersey tug.
As head referee Carl Cheffers explained after the game, “The receiver went to the inside and he was attempting to release to the outside. The defender grabbed the jersey with his right hand and restricted him from releasing to the outside. So, therefore, we called defensive holding.”
By the letter of the law, it was probably the correct call. And Bradberry even admitted after the game that he tugged on Smith-Schuster’s jersey. But in a critical moment like that, in a game in which referees had been consistently allowing corners a little extra contact and more latitude for physicality (see: a first-quarter third-down throw to Smith-Schuster in which the refs allowed even heavier contact from the defender), it felt like a fickle overreach. It was literally the only holding call in the game, by either team.
Had that referee held on to his flag, the Chiefs probably would’ve kicked a field goal, and they still may have won. But the Eagles would have had one timeout and about 1:45 left to put together a game-tying or game-winning drive. It would’ve been fun as hell to see what would’ve happened. Instead, the Eagles didn’t get a chance to answer, and instead of strictly talking about a great game this morning, water cooler groups and text chains will likely be focused on the league’s increasingly infuriating officiating.
And that’s really the point. I’m sure that the Chiefs and their fans are ecstatic about their Super Bowl win and their budding dynasty, but the way this game played out left a sour taste in the mouths of just about everyone else who watched. The coming days and weeks will probably not help in that regard: Instead of focusing on Mahomes entering rarefied air in the pantheon of quarterbacks, or musing on Andy Reid’s legacy and future, I’m guessing a majority of TV and radio shows and podcasts will lead with that bad call and the NFL’s problem with officiating. Instead of celebrating one of the best edge-of-your-seat thrill-ride games in memory or pondering the game’s place on the list of all-time great Super Bowls, we’re going to get dragged into arguments about to what degree the Eagles were robbed. Annoyingly, I’m sure the word asterisk is going to get thrown around when it comes to the Chiefs’ win.
When I think back on Super Bowl LVII, I know I’ll remember the big, game-changing plays and the heroic performances by both Hurts and Mahomes. I’ll remember turning to my colleagues with my jaw dropped in disbelief at some of the ridiculous plays both teams made. I’ll remember asking them at multiple points if this was shaping up to be the best Super Bowl of all time. I’ll remember that indescribable feeling of excitement and anticipation about what was going to happen next. But unfortunately, I’ll also remember that holding call. And that honestly just sucks.
