Tom Brady Says Struggling QBs ‘Should Lose Protection’ Amid Patrick Mahomes Controversy
Tom Brady is the latest person to wade into the officiating calls debate Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Brady (47) spoke up about how the defender should be responsible to protect himself.
“When quarterbacks become runners and don’t have enough money, they should lose protection,” Brady said during a recent appearance on “The Herd” by FOX Sports.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS REPORTS ON FOXNEWS.COM
Announcer Tom Brady watches before the 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 running backs, but coaches are calling running backs more than ever in the history of the game. So who’s protecting the running back? We’re trying to say that’s what the referees should do?”
Mahomes was the winner of two calls in the Chiefs’ 23-14 win over the Houston Texans.
The star of the Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. he was flagged for a roughing the pass for hitting Mahomes in the head area while passing, but what Brady appears to be alluding to is the penalty Mahomes received in the third quarter.
Mahomes fumbled in the third quarter, and as he slid, two Texans defenders hit him near the head area as he fell.
PATRICK MAHOMES ADDRESSES ALLEGATIONS OF FLOPING AND REFEREE FAVORIZATION AFTER PENALTY OUTRAGE
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 tackles Houston Texans #0 Azeez Al-Shaair during the first quarter of the AFC Divisional Playoffs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Texas linebacker Henry To’oTo’o was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play.
Another play occurred in the fourth quarter when Mahomes appeared to embellish contact along the sidelines in hopes of generating another flag, but the officials did not call a penalty.
“The reality for me is that offensive players have to protect. If they’re running full speed and the defensive end is coming — the only way to turn the ball over is to create force. You’re not going to blow the ball and knock it out of the hands of the running back or the running back,” Brady said. .
“You’ve got to go there with force and force it out. You’re trying to create turnovers. You’re trying to disrupt the passer. You’re trying to force the ball out. The only way to do that is force. There’s got to be an aggressiveness to that.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Brady said defenders play in fear of being penalized for poor play.
“If you don’t want to get hit, you can drop, you can run out of bounds,” Brady said. “But you can’t, essentially, have a defender come in at half speed and then run over the defender because he’s afraid of a penalty. That’s a disservice to the game. That’s something I would hope people really address. It’s not like anybody’s trying take advantage of the rules, but they’ve gotten to the point where it’s affecting the quality of the game.”
When Mahomes’ Chiefs play Buffalo Bills In the AFC Championship game on Sunday at 6:30 p.m., more attention will certainly be paid to Mahomes and the referees.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports broadcast on Xand subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
