"Not for the Super Bowl, man" - LeBron James calls out NFL refs over crucial holding call
The closing stages of an amazing Super Bowl LVII clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday were marred by a controversial holding call on James Bradberry.
With the Chiefs facing a 3rd & 9 in the red zone with under two minutes left, referees called a ticky-tacky hold by Bradberry on JuJu Smith-Schuster, giving Kansas City a new set of downs and effectively putting the Eagles to bed. The Chiefs were close to the end zone at the time and the new set of downs allowed them to kill the clock and kick a game-winning field goal.
Nobody was happy to see such a great game impacted by what was perceived to be a soft call. NBA legend LeBron James voiced his displeasure with the call on Twitter:
"Sorry but I don’t like that call! Not for the Super Bowl man," he tweeted.
Sorry but I don’t like that call! Not for the Super Bowl man! 🤦🏾♂️
HUGE HOLDING CALL https://t.co/rvWkQmG5yV
LeBron went on to defend Bradberry. The NBA superstar felt that, while it was clear the defender had his hand on Smith-Schuster's back, he didn't push the receiver or affect his route.
"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."
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
Harrison Butker converted the field goal three plays later and the Chiefs ended up winning 38-35.
LeBron James was present at Super Bowl LVII
Life has been good for the NBA superstar of late. He recently broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's long-standing record and became the league's all-time leading scorer.
The Lakers last played a game on Saturday, beating the Golden State Warriors 109-103. LeBron missed the game due to injury. However, he was present along with wife Savannah at the State Farm Stadium to watch the Chiefs take on the Eagles in the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LVII was a fantastic game from start to finish. Both Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts played at a fantastic level. The Chiefs came back from a 10-point deficit in the second half, scoring on all their drives following Rihanna's halftime show.
It was a little disappointing to see the game end in a controversial manner, but that shouldn't take anything away from Kansas City's performance on the night. They played tremendously well all season and ran out deserved winners.