Wilson: Brady denies he gets special treatment from officials

With Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Joey Porter accusing referees of affording New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady special treatment, Brady issued a detailed denial.

In an interview with the Boston Globe, Brady said it's simply not true.

"I think the ref calls what he sees," Brady said. "I don't think I've ever influenced a call. The refs we have are very good. If they make a call on that, great. If they don't, that's fine."

Porter isn't alone in his belief that Brady can get referees to make calls.

When Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs grazed Brady's knee earlier this season, Brady gestured for the flag. And he got it.

Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata was fined $5,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Brady.

In seven games against the Patriots, five opposing players have been penalized for roughing the passer.

Protecting the quarterback became a greater point of emphasis during the offseason following Brady's season-ending knee injury last year.

"We're standing back there, trying to make the plays, you can't think about it," Brady said. "And we're not the only ones. Rules are in place that protect the quarterback, protect the kicker, protect defenseless receivers, defensive linemen on cut blocks. I just don't see it as a quarterback issue. It's just that we're the ones holding the ball, so it's pretty visible when it happens.

"We're all kind of in the same boat out there, especially if you run outside the pocket. They find ways to protect receivers, and they should. You can't just go and knock the crap out of the kicker. We all play by the rules. If you're flagged, you deal with it, and find a way to not let it happen again."

Follow me on Twitter: RavensInsider

Comments

Add a Comment