In a game between two of the best fourth-down offenses in the NFL, the Eagles went for a fourth-and-2 on the first drive of Super Bowl 2025 against the Chiefs.
No Tush Push.
Just a straight deep ball that A.J. Brown caught at Kansas City’s 20-yard line.
AJ BROWN WITH THE FOURTH DOWN CATCH BUT OFFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE IS CALLED pic.twitter.com/Or4cjJi39x
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) February 9, 2025
A.J. Brown was called for offensive pass interference on Feb. 9. Screengrab via X/@TSN_Sports
Except Brown was called for a phantom offensive pass interference penalty, wiping out the 30-yard gain and forcing a punt as another questionable call went the Chiefs’ way in a week filled with questions about an officiating controversy.
“Don’t like that one bit,” analyst Tom Brady said on the Fox broadcast. “This is too critical of a game.”
A.J. Brown’s penalty wiped out a big play for the Eagles. Screengrab via X/@TSN_SportsBrown was competing for position with Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie down the right sideline and made contact with McDuffie’s facemask, but Brady, as well as Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira, both disagreed with the call.
“The thought process was there was a push-off to the head,” Pereira said on the broadcast. “Not your typical hand-fighting when it gets to the head. But to me, I still think it’s not enough to be a foul.”
A few Eagles fans inside the Caesars Superdome started a “Ref, you suck!” chant that didn’t gain much steam, while Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni was livid on the sidelines.
But it marked the latest instance where the Chiefs benefitted from a controversial call, which has been a topic that Kansas City players and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell were asked about this week ahead of the game in New Orleans.
“That’s a ridiculous theory for anyone who might take it seriously,” Goodell said Monday during his press conference.
Brown thought he had a first down on this pass. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConLater in the first quarter, though, Brady also disagreed with a call that went against the Chiefs — with McDuffie getting flagged for unnecessary roughness after making high contact while covering Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert.
The call allowed a Philadelphia incomplete pass on third down to turn into a new set of downs, and three plays later, Jalen Hurts rushed in for a one-yard touchdown to give the Eagles an early 7-0 in the first quarter.
