The referees bailed Tom Brady out last Sunday, but league office may not be so kind.
The NFL has reviewed Grady Jarrett's controversial roughing the passer penalty on Brady to determine whether Brady attempted to kick the Atlanta Falcons defensive end, The Associated Press' Rob Maaddi reported Thursday.
Brady's foot didn't appear to make contact with Jarrett as both players got up from the ground, but the league finds that Brady attempted to kick Jarrett, it could fine the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback $10,500 if it's his first offense or $15,500 if it's second offense, per Maaddi.
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UPDATE (12:30 p.m. ET): The NFL is fining Brady $11,139 for his attempted kick of Jarrett last Sunday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.
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The Bucs caught a huge break in the moment, as Jarrett's sack of Brady on third down would have forced Tampa Bay to punt and given Atlanta possession with about three minutes remaining trailing by six points. Instead, Jarrett was called for roughing the passer, giving the Bucs an automatic first down and allowing them to salt the game away in a 21-15 victory.
"It was a long hug. A long, unwelcomed hug from Grady," Brady told Jim Gray Monday on their "Let's Go!" podcast when asked about the play.
NFL
"(Jarrett) was in the backfield all day. As I said after the game, I don’t throw flags. What I do throw is tablets and I didn’t have one accessible at the time. He had a hell of a game; I’ll leave it at that."
Brady has had several moments of frustration amid Tampa Bay's 3-2 start, but even if the NFL fines him for his extra-curricular activities in Week 5, he should survive: The 45-year-old is making $15 million this season.