Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady didn’t play 23 seasons in the NFL by weathering monster hits from defensive linemen weekly. The NFL made a decision a long time ago to protect their franchise quarterbacks, and the game has prospered under that vision.
Still, referees remain human, and they make mistakes. We saw one such case Sunday when the Buccaneers hosted the Atlanta Falcons in NFC South play.
The Buccaneers had the ball and were leading, 21-15, with three minutes left in the fourth quarter. Brady (seen talking to side judge Jonah Monroe earlier in the second half) dropped back to pass and was sacked by Falcons defensive end Grady Jarrett . That looked like a game-changing play until Jarrett was flagged.
The roughing the passer call after the Falcons' Grady Jarrett hit the Bucs' Tom Brady, and the roasting of it from Fox's Daryl Johnston. pic.twitter.com/3ba6PCdrHm
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 9, 2022
The NFL world was quick to register their disgust with the play.
That’s a bulljive call against Jarrett. That was not roughing the passer on Brady. pic.twitter.com/LAL5JBKzIc
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) October 9, 2022
“That’s a bulljive call against Jarrett. That was not roughing the passer on Brady,” Shannon Sharpe tweeted.
The roughing the passer on Brady was the worst call I have seen in a long time. Falcons got robbed
— Booger (@ESPNBooger) October 9, 2022
“The roughing the passer on Brady was the worst call I have seen in a long time. Falcons got robbed,” Booger McFarland tweeted.
the roughing the passer calls that Tom Brady gets are legitimately comical
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) October 9, 2022
“The roughing the passer calls that Tom Brady gets are legitimately comical,” said Benjamin Solak.
Tom Brady roughing the passer call is the worst of the season
— Cris Carter (@criscarter80) October 9, 2022
“Tom Brady roughing the passer call is the worst of the season,” said Cris Carter.
The Falcons got ROBBED. Hitting the QB hard does not equal Roughing the Passer even if it’s Tom Brady.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 9, 2022
“The Falcons got ROBBED. Hitting the QB hard does not equal Roughing the Passer even if it’s Tom Brady,” Robert Griffin III tweeted.
That roughing the passer call against Brady was an absolute disgrace
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) October 9, 2022
“That roughing the passer call against Brady was an absolute disgrace,” Mike Freeman said.
The Bucs won the game, 21-15.
[The Comeback on Twitter; photo from Matt Pendleton/USA Today Sports]
