Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles turned into an instant classic, but a flag thrown by the officials late in the game soured the ending of an all-time game.
With 1:54 remaining and the teams tied at 35, Patrick Mahomes could not connect with JuJu Smith-Schuster on a third-and-8 from the Eagles’ 15-yard line forcing them into a fourth down.
But a flag was thrown by the 10-yard line and Eagles cornerback James Bradberry was penalized for holding, giving the Chiefs a new set of downs at the 7-yard line.
Fans — not just Eagles fans, but all NFL fans including media and some former and current players — could not believe the officials threw a flag in that situation, especially because the holding was not necessarily blatant. It was questionable at best and it essentially sealed the game for the Chiefs.
Kansas City managed to run down the clock until Harrison Butker kicked a 27-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining.
The Eagles were able to attempt one last Hail Mary, but it was wishful thinking at best as Jalen Hurts’ heave fell well short of any receivers and the celebration for the Chiefs began.
Had the penalty not been called, the Chiefs would have settled for a field goal and the Eagles would have had roughly 1:45-1:50 remaining to go down field and either tie the game to send it into overtime or win it outright.
Unfortunately, the Eagles never got the opportunity and that flag will haunt Philadelphia for quite a long time.
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