Nobody makes Tom Brady bleed their own blood.
The Bucs QB was whistled for the first unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of his career during the NFC South champions’ divisional round matchup with the Rams.
Brady was called out by Shawn Hochuli’s team after yelling at the officials after an 8-yard completion to Mike Evans. The veteran quarterback believed Rams pass rusher Von Miller hit him high and late after he threw the ball.
Below is a look at the punch in question.
Miller wasn’t too late for the play, nor did it seem like he hit Brady too hard. However, Miller hit Brady near the helmet, which appears to be what the veteran quarterback was complaining about.
As such, Brady may have had a reason to be upset. After all, he was left with a bloody lip after the play.
Before that unsportsmanlike conduct call, Brady received 58 accepted penalties during his career. They were mostly for intentional grounding and game delay. He was only called for unnecessary roughness once, and that came back during his third NFL season in 2002.
Brady’s penalty proved costly for the Buccaneers, driving them back 15 yards. As Brady and Leonard Fournette combined to create a first down on the ensuing play of second-and-17, the Buccaneers stalled soon after. Kicker Ryan Succop then missed a 48-yard field goal to end the unsuccessful drive and allow the Rams to hold a 17-3 lead.
Brady’s penalty was also ironic, as earlier in the week he had spoken about the favorable treatment he has received from referees during his career.
“I know that [the officials] He’ll probably let me get away with a lot of unsportsmanlike conduct, trash-talking the other team and trash-talking the umpires when I don’t think I’m getting the right call,” Brady said on the “Let’s Go!” by Jim Gray. I’m kind of a pain in your butt, if you don’t already know that.”
He didn’t get away with that behavior on Sunday afternoon.