Unnamed coaches around the NFL have criticized the controversial and “terrible” defensive holding penalty late in Super Bowl LVII that impacted the end of the game.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando has shared “text messages from coaches around the NFL” who reacted to watching Philadelphia Eagles cornerback James Bradberry get called for holding Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
The call occurred with the game tied 35-35 and the Chiefs facing a third-and-eight from the Philadelphia 15-yard line with slightly under two minutes remaining in regulation.
“You know how many times that route gets run and it is not called? It’s a play teams perennially send into the league and never get the call,” one offensive play caller remarked. “Guys grab like that all the time. If it stopped the receiver from getting to the ball, I understand, but that was not the case.”
One game-management coach argued the officials should’ve gotten together after the play ended and agreed to pick up the flag and go to fourth down, which likely would’ve ended with a Kansas City field goal attempt that would’ve presented the Philadelphia offense with possession and a chance to win the game or send the contest into overtime.
“There were two restrictions on this play, and neither was enough for a foul in my opinion,” that coach said. “It looks bad because you want competitive plays at the end of the Super Bowl instead of (Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes) kneeling it down to center the ball for the kicker.”
An anonymous team executive speculated that the fact the flag was thrown well after Bradberry’s alleged hold suggested individuals on the Kansas City sideline asked for and received the penalty.
As ESPN’s Tim McManus mentioned, both Bradberry and referee Carl Cheffers insisted after Kansas City’s 38-35 win that the call was correct.
“I was hoping he would let it go, but of course, he’s a ref, it was a big game,” Bradberry explained. “It was a hold, so they called it.”
Cheffers, meanwhile, told a pool reporter that Bradberry restricted Smith-Schuster’s release with a tug of the jersey.
The penalty coupled with Kansas City’s subsequent bleeding of the game clock and a converted field goal left Philadelphia needing a miracle on the game’s last play, but the Eagles’ prayer went unanswered:
