Eli Manning comes to defense of Joseph Ossai over season-ending mistake

No one was more upset over the Cincinnati Bengals’ 23-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s AFC Championship game than Joseph Ossai.

The Bengals EDGE was called for a late hit out of bounds on Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in the final minute of the game. The penalty would push KC into field goal range, where Harrison Butker nailed the game-winning attempt through the uprights to force the Chiefs into the Super Bowl for the third time in the last four seasons.

It was an unfortunate moment for Ossai, and it wasn’t easy for fans at home to watch the emotions flow from Ossai on the bench postgame. That’s just football, though, NFL legend Eli Manning said Monday.

“I think it’s one of those tough plays, and for me, that’s an effort play,” Manning told CBS Sports Network. “It’s not a mental mistake, it’s not doing the wrong thing, not knowing you’re playbook, or that you didn’t prepare. That’s a guy trying to make a stop near the end of the game to try and win and help your team.

“He went one step too far out of bounds and makes a hit. As a ref, you have to make that call. It’s on a quarterback out of bounds, they’re always looking to protect the quarterback in that scenario. It’s just one of those things where you can’t do it, but you feel for him because he’s just trying to play through the whistle and help out his team.”

Ossai’s season is over, and will be forced to reflect on the final play of his first season playing NFL football as he watches the Super Bowl from his couch.

The Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will battle for Super Bowl 57 on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. ET inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Eagles have opened as two-point favorites (-130) over the Chiefs and the over-under is set at 50.0 points.