Tom Brady Draws Emotionally Roughing The Passer Penalty
October 5, 2009
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs was flagged for emotionally roughing Patriots quarterback Tom Brady yesterday after a hit left the star quarterback feeling upset and unloved.
“I didn’t care for that! I didn’t care for that one bit!” snapped Brady, stomping his foot as he pulled himself up off the ground. Moments later, official Tom Winter threw a flag, penalizing Suggs and the Ravens for an infraction never before called in organized football.
“The new rules in place make our job very clear as officials,” said Winter, explaining his call. “We are to protect the quarterback, especially star quarterbacks, and especially this star quarterback. Brady’s injury last year is what prompted all of these rule changes.”
Brady says Winter made the right call.
“I don’t think people understand how hard it is to be me. I’m coming back from a knee injury, my team is struggling, I have one child out of wedlock, another child on the way, very high-maintenance dogs to take care of, I’m expected to look stylish all the time and I have the stress of physically satisfying a woman millions of men around the world would love a shot at. And then when someone tackles me, well …” he said, tearing up. “It can be very, very hard, okay? It can be very hard on my psyche.”
Suggs said he had no intention of emotionally harming Brady, only sacking him and maybe creating a turnover.
“I wasn’t trying to emotionally rough the guy,” said Suggs. “Physically harming him would have been awesome, but all that touchy-feely emotional crap is what’s killing football. I just wanted to maim the guy.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says he will examine the emotionally roughing the quarterback call and evaluate how it should be called in the future.
“I know this is a tough judgment call for our officials,” said Goodell. “And I don’t want to make their job any tougher than it is already. So I think what we’ll probably do is have Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning all have the power to call this penalty themselves when they feel they have been emotionally harmed. That’s the only way to accomplish the true goal and spirit of the new rules we put in place.”
