NFL fans came after Tom Brady on Sunday after the Fox Sports analyst blasted Sam Darnold for what he described as “acting” on a late hit in the Seahawks’ game against the 49ers.
The play came in the second quarter of the rivalry matchup when Darnold was shoved out of bounds by San Francisco linebacker Dre Greenlaw. That sequence set off a scuffle between the teams, and Greenlaw was eventually ejected after using his facemask to headbutt a Seahawks player who did not have his helmet on.
Brady wasn’t buying the officials’ call. During the broadcast, he pushed back hard on the idea that the hit should have drawn a penalty and also complained about how the game has changed since his playing days.
"I don't think that's an illegal hit at all," Brady said on the broadcast. "I know they might call a penalty but Dre Greenlaw's on a full sprint to make sure that Darnold's not gaining anywhere near close to the first-down marker, which is exactly what Darnold's doing.
"And then it's a little nudge out of bounds, and Darnold with the acting... football has changed so much, I know that's a little late as the foot goes down."
That didn’t sit well with a lot of longtime NFL viewers, who quickly pointed to Brady’s own history of getting the benefit of the doubt from officials during his years with the Patriots and Buccaneers.
"Tom would've complained so much if he took this hit," one user on X posted.
Another wrote, "Truly insane hearing Brady say it's a different game now. The NFL so clearly protected Brady just like they do Mahomes now."
"Brady acting he was getting spiked like Bradshaw when he was playing," another poster said.
Others kept it blunt: "Pot calling the kettle black," and "Like Brady never 'acted.'"
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