One of the biggest storylines to come out of Super Bowl LVII was the controversial holding penalty called on James Bradberry late in the fourth quarter. With 1:54 left in the game, Bradberry was flagged for holding in coverage against JuJu Smith-Schuster.
It was a tough call to make in that spot, given the situation late in the Super Bowl, but Bradberry was professional about it after the game. During his locker room media session with reporters, Bradberry admitted the official got the call right.
He said he grabbed Smith-Schuster’s jersey, resulting in the flag being thrown.
James Bradberry admits he grabbed jersey but said he was hoping the ref would let it slide. Admits it was a hold.
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) 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
That one play wasn’t the reason the Eagles lost the game, but it was certainly a call that helped decide the outcome. Had the flag not been thrown, the Chiefs would’ve been faced with fourth-and-8 from the Eagles’ 15-yard line, likely settling for a field goal.
