Dejected Eagles fans gather on Broad Street following deflating Super Bowl loss
PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles' Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs didn't prevent dejected fans from gathering en masse on Philadelphia streets to climb poles and shoot off fireworks.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and scrambled 26 yards on the go-ahead drive before Harrison Butker kicked a 27-yard field goal with 8 seconds left to give the Chiefs a 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.
Mahomes and Jalen Hurts excelled in the first Super Bowl matchup featuring two Black starting QBs. But Mahomes, the two-time AP NFL MVP, turned it up in the second half after reaggravating a sprained right ankle. He earned his second Super Bowl MVP award, too.
Many fans voiced their opinions about a controversial holding call late in the fourth quarter that lead to the Chiefs game winning field goal. To many, it spoiled the ending to an otherwise exciting Super Bowl clash between the two best teams in the NFL.
"I'm so disappointed at that call (Bradberry) barely touched him, at the end of the game, you're gonna make a call like that? The Super Bowl is going to be decided on a call like that?" one fan said.
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."
Referee Carl Cheffers said it was a "clear case of a jersey grab."
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.
"To drop the call like that in the Super Bowl…I'm super disappointed," an Eagles fan at State Farm Stadium said.
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.
Eagles fans who expected to celebrate a Super Bowl victory on Broad Street until the early morning hours made the most of the let-down. Some fans even still climbed poles while others kept their team spirit alive with full throated ‘E-A-G-L-E-S! EAGLES!' chants.
"We tried our best we're still celebrating no matter what, we made it - that's all that really matters - we're Philly," a fan on Broad Street said.
Most of the people who partied on Broad Street remained peaceful, but a crowd of officers on foot and in police vehicles were needed to disperse the crowds.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.