Philadelphia Eagles Australian punter Arryn Siposs was “trying to kick a drop punt” in the Super Bowl nightmare moment that helped the Kansas City Chiefs score a match-defining touchdown.
Siposs, who was playing his first game since December after recovering from a high-ankle sprain to take his place in the game, was involved in the infamous moment that led to the longest punt return in Super Bowl history.
With about 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, and the Chiefs leading by a point, Siposs failed to execute the kick he wanted and Kansas City punt returner Kadarius Toney charged through some poor tackling from the Eagles to complete a 64-yard return.
He was ultimately stopped by Siposs but was only just short of the end zone, and the Chiefs turned their field position into a touchdown on the way to a three-point win.
Siposs was criticised in the aftermath of the loss and conceded he didn’t execute as planned, and he hurt his ankle in the process.
“To be honest, I was coming back from my injury as well and working my way into it,” he told SEN on Tuesday.
“My first one went really, really well, and all I wanted to do was kind of continue on with the second one.
“I’ve actually just kind of tweaked the left ankle on the plant foot and kind of didn’t get through the ball as well as I would have liked.
“I was just trying to kick a drop punt, honestly, just kick it high and obviously make them fair catch it, to be honest, and let them have 70 or so yards to mess with.
“It didn’t work out in my favour. We still had an opportunity to still go make a play down there of course and they just made a better one.”
Siposs, who is back in Australia, felt the ire of upset Philadelphia fans and could find himself moved on by the Eagles despite still having one year to run on his contract.
“The numbers suggest I had a better second year and hopefully that puts me in good stead going forward,” he said.
Siposs also said the surface at State Farm Stadium in Arizona didn’t help his cause, with the ground conditions also coming in for plenty of criticism
“In all honesty, it was pretty tough to be out there. There was like golf divots being taken out of the field and things like that,” Siposs said.
“Both teams have to play on it, that’s just the way it is, but I think both teams can certainly say it was pretty tough being out there and trying to get some form of grip, and when you did you’d be taking a fair divot out of the ground.
“It was pretty tough to play on.”
