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Officials blasted for horrendous holding call in Super Bowl LV

Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Vincent Frank | Last updated 2/7/21

The Kansas City Chiefs had the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where they wanted them in the second quarter of Super Bowl LV Sunday evening.

Tampa was facing a third-and-four from the Chiefs’ 32-yard line when a tipped Tom Brady pass landed into the hands of Pro Bowl Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu.

Unfortunately, officials on hand at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay decided to call a questionable holding penalty against Chiefs defensive back Charvarius Ward.

You can be the judge.

Hold or no? #SuperBowLV pic.twitter.com/yOBsJFQrrH
— Sportsnaut (@Sportsnaut) February 8, 2021

It really did seem to be a ticky-tack holding penalty on Ward, especially given that big-bodied Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans was being physical himself.

Instead of facing a fourth down and a likely field goal, Tampa Bay would go on to score a touchdown on this pass from Brady to Rob Gronkowski. It represented their second connection for a score in the first half and a 14-3 Buccaneers lead over the favored Chiefs.

Officials blasted for horrendous holding call in Super Bowl LV

That was an awful holding call
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) February 8, 2021

That was something you could call at least half the time. Not even sure it happened before the ball was tipped
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) February 8, 2021

I would have let that go.
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) February 8, 2021

Boy is that a convenient holding call to wipe out the int #SuperBowlLV
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) February 8, 2021

That is an awful holding call
— Mike Golic (@golic) February 8, 2021

The Chiefs were hit with a defensive holding call on this play that negated an interception. pic.twitter.com/LRlm5KOwy9
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) February 8, 2021

Oh so they’re calling holding this game
— Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) February 8, 2021

What a brutal holding call.
— Joe Fann (@Joe_Fann) February 8, 2021

Three pretty costly Chiefs penalties.

1) Holding on the punt costs KC 32 yards in field position.
2) Defensive holding negates an interception.
3) Offsides on a FG attempt converts 4th-and-5.

Bucs with a shot to cash in now.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 8, 2021

Under normal circumstances, that should not be called. But given that the ball was batted at the line, the call was even more egregious.

It was yet another example of some questionable calls from officials early on in Super Bowl LV in Tampa Bay Sunday evening. Let’s just hope this doesn’t become the story.

No one wants that.

This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission.

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