James Bradberry ADMITS holding JuJu Smith-Schuster in vital Super Bowl moment

Eagles cornerback James Bradberry has admitted he was correctly flagged for holding JuJu Smith-Schuster that gave the Chiefs a vital first down that led them to Super Bowl glory.

The decision was widely criticized on the television coverage and social media but the only person who didn’t seem upset with the call was Bradberry himself.

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.

‘It was a holding. I tugged his jersey,’ Bradberry said. ‘I was hoping they would let it slide.’

Bradberry’s hold on Smith-Schuster was a key moment that led the Chiefs to Super Bowl win

Referee Carl Cheffers said it was a ‘clear case of a jersey grab.’

‘The receiver went to the inside and he was attempting to release to the outside,’ Cheffers told a pool reporter. ‘The defender grabbed the jersey with his right hand and restricted him from releasing to the outside. So, therefore, we called defensive holding.’

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

Many fans – and some football commentators – disagreed with the call. Former NFL tight end Greg Olsen wasn’t happy with the decision on the Fox broadcast and ESPN and Amazon analyst Kirk Herbstreit was also critical on social media.

‘Usually don’t get involved in ripping referees but HATE that defensive holding call on Bradberry,’ Herbstreit wrote. ’35-35 late on a 3rd down incompletion on what was a marginal foul??? 

‘Let em play man!! Bad call-hate that is what many will take away from this game.’

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.

The moment appeared to leave the Chiefs with the game in their hands – they duly won 

Bradberry fronted up after to admit that he had been holding in the build-up in the play

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

It clinched a 38-35 win for the Chiefs at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium in what was a gripping game – even if the ending was more of a formality than anticipated. 

The Chiefs at one point trailed the Eagles by 10 points but overcame the deficit to win their second Super Bowl in four years. 

Chiefs quarterback Mahomes, who played through the pain barrier with an ankle sprain, said: ‘It took everybody to win the game.

‘In that first half, we were playing and doing some good stuff, but I felt like the guys were getting consumed by everything around us.’