Tom Brady\u2019s insistence on working for Fox while owning a piece of the Raiders creates potential complications beyond the restrictions on his access to team facilities and practices. When it comes to criticizing game officials, there\u2019s a line he can\u2019t cross.<\/p>\n
As the league has previously explained it, Brady is prohibited from being \u201cegregiously critical of officiating\u201d or \u201ccall[ing] into question the integrity of an official or the crew.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Sunday in Detroit, Brady criticized multiple officiating decisions. The overriding question is whether the league office will regard the criticism as \u201cegregious.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the third quarter, Packers linebacker Brenton Cox Jr. knocked Lions quarterback Jared Goff to the ground after a throw. The officials called Cox for roughing the passer.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot much at all,\u201d Brady said over the replay. \u201cIt\u2019s coming off the block. His face is buried. I don\u2019t know about that. I mean . . . that\u2019s a tough one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fox rules analyst (and former NFL senior V.P. of officiating) Dean Blandino agreed. \u201cHe\u2019s coming off the block,\u201d Blandino said. \u201cYou really want to see more force there. It\u2019s almost like he\u2019s just trying to keep himself up. There\u2019s no real extension. I don\u2019t like that as roughing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t like it either,\u201d Brady said.<\/p>\n
In the fourth quarter, after Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes was flagged for an illegal hit on Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd, Brady was blunt.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d Brady said. \u201cThere\u2019s no way. . . . Oh, come on, man. Come on. [Jordan] Love throws it over the middle. There\u2019s linebackers in the middle. He\u2019s just turning his right shoulder away from it. That\u2019s allowed 99 out of 100 [times]. . . . It\u2019s a bang-bang play. I know in super slow-mo every little minute frame looks like a lot, but when you\u2019re on the field, you\u2019ve got to pursue that ball. If [Lloyd] catches it, [Barnes] needs force to knock him on the ground. He needs force to knock that ball out. . . . He can\u2019t go in there and put his hand on him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later, during Detroit\u2019s game-winning drive, Brady sounded off on a questionable roughing the passer call, after Packers defensive tackle Karl Brooks hit Lions quarterback Jared Goff following a throw.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh my goodness, what is that?\u201d Brady said. \u201cThere\u2019s no way! Brooks on the tackle. Kind of makes a great play. It\u2019s a bang-bang play. He rolls off his body. It\u2019s a great throw by Goff. It\u2019s definitely not roughing the passer. I mean, you just \u2014 you\u2019re just ripping through the line of scrimmage to try to get the quarterback on the ground. Look, I love Goff standing there in the pocket. But you just can\u2019t keep tacking on 15 yards.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blandino agreed with Brady\u2019s assessment again. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t late,\u201d Blandino said. \u201cThey might have said head\/neck area. But this is not head\/neck area. His head is up. That\u2019s teach-tape tackle. That\u2019s not roughing the passer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Each of the calls seemed unwarranted. But the league\u2019s rules don\u2019t create an exception based on accuracy of the criticism. Team personnel (including owners) can only say so much when it comes to publicly criticizing officials.<\/p>\n