According to the NFL, Tom Brady won’t be punished for his criticism of the referees during the Packers-Lions game
The NFL legend, who has a minority investment in the Las Vegas Raiders, is now prohibited from publicly criticizing officials or clubs.
Several sources state that the NFL would not discipline former NFL player turned commentator and minority owner Tom Brady for his criticism of referees during a recent Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions game.
Brady, 47, publicly disagreed with the referee’s decision to remove Brian Branch for an illegal hit to the head on a receiver while providing commentary for Fox Sports. “I absolutely detest that call. Regarding the call, Brady stated, “I mean, obviously, it’s a penalty, but, to me, that has to be serious intent in a game like this.”
His comments wouldn’t be a problem for most broadcasters, but Brady is now prohibited from criticizing referees or teams on air as part of his agreement to become a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
However, the NFL concluded that Brady did not break those conditions.
“The concern would be if Tom was egregiously critical of officiating or called into question the integrity of an official or the crew,” NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told the Sports Business Journal in response to the incident. That didn’t happen in this case.
In the end, the Lions defeated the Packers 24–14 to win the game.
