LeBron James furious with referee's penalty decision favoring Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LVII: "Sorry but I don’t like that call!"
LeBron James was likely one of the millions of NFL fans who were taken by surprise by the call that decided Super Bowl LVII. A late penalty was called on Philadelphia Eagles cornerback James Bradberry for holding Juju Smith-Schuster's waist and back.
The game was tied at 35 when the penalty was handed out. It led to a Kansas City Chiefs field goal that broke the tie and came out as the final margin of Super Bowl LVII.
LeBron James quickly commented:
Sorry but I don’t like that call! Not for the Super Bowl man! 🤦🏾♂️
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes seemed to have overthrown the pass to Smith-Schuster when the pass interference foul was called. If there had been no foul, the Eagles would have had the chance to tie or win it with about two minutes left on the clock.
LeBron James also clarified his comment by explaining:
His hand on his back had no effect on his route! This game was too damn good for that call to dictate the outcome at the end. Damn! By the way I have no horse in the race. Just my professional opinion
This is the second consecutive title game where the Kansas City Chiefs have benefited from a late call. In the AFC championship against the Cincinnati Bengals two weeks ago, a late penalty on Joseph Ossai gave the Chiefs a 15-yard gain.
When Mahomes scrambled off the sidelines during that sequence, the Chiefs were out of field-goal range. The penalty called on Ossai assured Kansas City of that. A field goal sealed the game and sent the Chiefs to Super Bowl LVII.
LeBron James, however, didn't complain about that. His only post was to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce:
"Happy for my DOG @tkelce !!! Go get another one CHAMP!!"
Happy for my DOG @tkelce!!! Go get another one CHAMP!! 🫡🤎👑
Here's the play between James Bradberry and Juju Smith-Schuster that has football fans in a frenzy:
Another look at the James Bradberry holding call
Was it the right decision to call this or was this too big of a moment?
https://t.co/5tml59HdGW
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster disagreed with LeBron James and other fans who didn't like the call
The call against James Bradberry on Juju Smith-Schuster will be the biggest talking point in the next few weeks. Many will consider it as the biggest decider of Super Bowl LVII.
While some analysts and fans, including LeBron James, contend that such a call should not decide a game of that magnitude, the wide receiver disagreed:
"Oh yes, 100% [ I was held]. ... Bradberry's a good player, but the call's gonna be called."
The Philadelphia Eagles cornerback, in a show of sportsmanship, agreed with the Kansas City Chiefs wideout:
“I pulled on his jersey. They called it. I was hoping they would let it ride.”
#Eagles CB James Bradberry: “I pulled on his jersey. They called it. I was hoping they would let it ride.”
LeBron James complaining about a late-game foul to decide a game almost seems hilarious. Last Jan. 28, against the Boston Celtics, the LA Lakers lost in overtime after a non-call allowed the Celtics to force an extra period.
"King James" was livid when Celtics forward Jayson Tatum got away with a blatant hit to his arm. He was furious that the Lakers needed to play another five minutes after the officials refused to call a seemingly apparent foul. James later complained on Twitter about their loss to their historically bitter rivals:
"That one hurt BIG TIME!!! I don't understand"
That one hurt BIG TIME!!! I don't understand
A day later, he detailed the supposed-to-be missed calls that caused the LA Lakers to lose several games:
"I don’t understand. I truly don’t"
🤦🏾♂️!!! I don’t understand. I truly don’t twitter.com/pickuphoop/sta…
The last play that decided Super Bowl LVII might make LeBron James understand or confuse him even more.