Yes, Tom Brady understands the irony behind his disagreements with the rough passing penalties called in Sunday’s Green Bay Packers-Detroit Lions game. However, that won’t stop him from shielding defensive players to get more leeway when it comes to hitting quarterbacks.
On the latest edition of #AskTom, Brady said quarterbacks need to take more responsibility for certain snaps, adding that it comes with the territory of playing the position.
“On the field, I just think there’s a level of aggressiveness that defenders have to play with in order to do their job well — whether it’s rushing the passer or closing down a receiver to knock the ball off them. I just think sometimes we’re calling it a little too close,” Brady said. “The centre-backs, they have the right to get rid of the ball whenever they want.
“But if they want to keep the ball, part of the understanding is that you’re going to get hit.”
There were several penalties that Brady expressed his displeasure with when he was calling the Packers-Lions game on FOX. When Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes hit Packers running back Marshawn Lloyd on a pass thrown his way and was called for unnecessary roughness, Brady said, “Oh, come on, man.”
“That’s 99 out of 100 allowed … it’s a bang-bang play,” Brady added the penalty sought against Barnes at the time.
What seemed to bother Brady the most was the pass violation that was called on Packers defensive tackle Karl Brooks for his hit on Jared Goff on the Lions’ final drive. Brooks appeared to hit Goff a split second after he threw him.
“No, my God, what is that? No way,” Brady said of the penalty on Sunday’s broadcast. “Brooks at tackle makes a great kind of play. It’s a buzz play. It rolls off his body; it’s a great throw by Goff, it’s definitely not roughing up the passer.
“You’re just crossing the line of scrimmage trying to get the quarterback on the ground,” Brady continued. “Look, I like Goff standing there in the pocket, but you just can’t stick it to 15 yards.”
FOX Sports NFL rules analyst Dean Blandino agreed with Brady’s assessment of the penalty, saying Brooks’ hit “wasn’t late.”
That penalty helped Detroit get deep into Green Bay territory, allowing them to kick the game-winning field goal as time expired, prompting Brady to call the penalty “a little controversial” on #AskTom . And while Brady criticized referees for harshly punishing passers he felt were weak, he admitted it’s easier for him to feel that way now that he’s retired.
“Look, I get it. I’m aware,” Brady said as some on social media thought it was a little hypocritical for him to call out the official. “I’m sitting in that booth. It’s a lot easier for me to say now that I’m sitting in the booth, but that’s my job. I’m a broadcaster now, right? I have thoughts like that.”
Brady’s thoughts on some controversial penalties weren’t the only thing that went viral from his call during Sunday’s Packers-Lions game. When it looked like the Lions were going to pass the ball on one of the final plays from scrimmage, Brady said, “Don’t tell me they’re going to throw that? Oh my God, they’re going to throw that.”
The Lions ended up running the ball on the ensuing play, which allowed them to bleed a few more hours before kicking the game-winning field goal. But when Brady was asked about that call and the Lions’ unsuccessful fourth down attempt from deep in their own territory on #AskTom, he again shared some of the anxiety he had in those moments.
“In that part, I did,” Brady said when asked if he ever forgets that he’s on a broadcast watched by millions of people. “After a while, you start thinking, ‘Am I the one who’s looking at this the wrong way? Did they just do it on a draw at their own 20-yard line? Is that what happened to the line? And they didn’t realize it? Oh my God.’
“When you’re not in every thought or conversation going on in those training headphones, a lot of these times, I’m just trying to talk out loud what exactly I’m seeing.”
And Brady thinks the Lions may have had a bit of luck in their win over the Packers.
“Look, I know they’re an aggressive fourth-down team, but maybe the football gods were looking out for them a little bit last Sunday, let’s be honest,” Brady said.