‘That’s What My Job Is, I’m a Broadcaster Now’ — Tom Brady Justifies Calling Out NFL Officials’ Controversial Decision
· Yahoo Sports
It appears Tom Brady is finally starting to get comfortable in his job as a broadcaster. Quickly becoming a fan favorite in the booth, he has incorporated natural charisma with an abundance of experience with the game.
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However, his style has also been something fans have loved for how raw and honest it is. This past week, he was outspoken in his criticism of officials during the Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers game. And while a few eyebrows were raised over how much leeway he has to criticize officials (given his role as a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders), Brady is clarifying why he went as far as to call the referees out.
Tom Brady Clarifies Reason Behind Criticizing NFL Officials
During the Lions vs. Packers game, there were a couple of calls, especially for roughing the passer, that Brady disagreed with. He let his opinion be heard loud and clear from the commentary booth, sparking an instant conversation across social media.
While some praised his honest style and perspective, others found it ironic that Brady, of all people, was being critical of roughing the passer penalties. Now, in a candid breakdown of his comments, the seven-time Super Bowl champion is explaining his perspective.
“When you slow the frames down to super slow-mo, everything looks like it’s delayed. But on the field, I just think there’s a level of aggressiveness that the defenders need to play with in order to do their job well.”
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There were three particular areas where the New England Patriots legend believed that the defenders needed to put their most aggressive foot forward. And the borderline calls going against them weren’t ideal in those cases.
“That’s rush the passer, close on a receiver, and knock the ball off them. I just think sometimes we’re calling it a little too close.”
However, given the scrutiny around the roughing the passer calls that he was critical of in Week 7, he addressed those penalties in particular and put the blame on the quarterback instead.
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“The quarterbacks, they have every right to get rid of the ball whenever they want. The faster they get that ball out of their hands, the less likely they are to get hit. If they want to hold the ball, part of the understanding is you’re going to get hit.”
Given how frequently Brady benefited from quarterback-protection rules during his playing career, some fans found his criticism ironic. A few fans made it a point to call him out on it, but Brady joked that it was part of the change in roles for him.
“I’m self-aware. I’m sitting up in that booth. It’s much easier for me to say it now that I’m sitting up in the booth. But that’s what my job is. I’m a broadcaster now, right? I have these types of opinions.”
It remains to be seen if his voice, which undoubtedly carries a lot of weight, can swing the conversations around referees and some touch-and-go calls in general. But it seems clear that Brady isn’t willing to change his commentating style, even with some backlash.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.