Tom Brady is the latest person to join the discussion about the leading calls surrounding it The heads of Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Brady, 47, spoke about how it should be the quarterback’s responsibility to protect himself.
“When quarterbacks become running backs and they run out of money, they have to lose their protection,” Brady said recently during an appearance on FOX Sports’ ‘The Herd’.
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Announcer Tom Brady looks on before an NFC wild card game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers at Lincoln Financial Field. (Bill Streicher-Imagn images)
“We’re trying to protect the quarterbacks, but coaches are calling more quarterback runs than ever in the history of the game. So who’s protecting the quarterback? We’re trying to say that’s what the referees should do?”
Mahomes was the beneficiary of two calls in the Chiefs’ 23-14 victory over the Houston Texans.
The Texans star Defensive end Will Anderson Jr. was warned for over-calling the passer penalty for hitting Mahomes toward the head area while throwing a pass, but what Brady seems to be alluding to is the penalty Mahomes took in the third quarter.
Mahomes was scrambling in the third quarter and as he slid, he was hit by two Texans defenders near the main area as he was going down.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, #15, is tackled by Azeez Al-Shaair, #0 of the Houston Texans, during the first quarter of the AFC Divisional Playoff at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Texans linebacker Henry To’oTo’o was flagged for unnecessary roughing.
There was another play in the fourth quarter when Mahomes appeared to embellish contact along the sideline in hopes of generating another flag, but the officials did not call a penalty.
“The reality for me is that attacking players have to protect themselves. If they are running at full speed and the defender is coming forward, the only way to turn the ball over is to create power. You are not going to blow on the football and making a way out of the hands of a running back or a quarterback,” Brady said.
“You have to go there with force and knock him out. You try to create turnovers. You try to disrupt the passer. You try to dislodge the ball. The only way to do that is with force.” There has to be an aggressiveness to do that.”
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes speaks at a news conference following an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland on Sunday, December 15, 2024. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Brady said defenders who are afraid of being punished do a disservice to the game.
“If you don’t want to get hit, you can go down and hit out of bounds,” Brady said. “But essentially you can’t have the defensive player coming in at half speed and then drive over the defensive player because he’s afraid of getting a penalty. It’s a disservice to the game. It’s something I hope. ” people are really taking it. Not that anyone is trying to abuse the rules, but they’ve gotten to a point where it’s affecting the quality of the game.”
When Mahomes’ Chiefs the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday at 6:30 PM, there will certainly be extra attention for Mahomes and the referees.
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