Super Bowl

Questionable late flag takes drama out of Super Bowl ending

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) reacts after their loss against the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) AP

By DAVID BRANDT, Associated Press

February 12, 2023

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A questionable late penalty on Philadelphia Eagles cornerback James Bradberry with less than two minutes remaining meant that a scintillating Super Bowl 57 had a bit of an underwhelming finish.

Kansas City won its second Super Bowl in four years by beating the Eagles 38-35 on Sunday in Glendale, Arizona. It was an exciting back-and-forth game that saw the Chiefs claw back from a 10-point halftime deficit.

One of the few gripes for football fans — particularly Eagles fans — was the anti-climatic finish.

The Chiefs were driving and faced third-and-8 at the Eagles 15-yard line with 1:54 remaining when Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw incomplete to JuJu Smith-Schuster. But officials flagged Bradberry for defensive holding, which negated the incompletion and, more importantly, gave the Chiefs a first down.

Replays showed that Bradberry made light contact with Smith-Schuster, but it didn’t appear to affect the play.

Kansas City was able to essentially run out the clock from that point forward. Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon made a smart move on the ensuing down, purposefully sliding 2 yards short of the goal line instead of scoring a touchdown.

Mahomes then was able to kneel twice as the clock ran down after the Eagles used their final timeout.

Harrison Butker kicked a 27-yard field goal with 8 seconds remaining that proved to be the winner.