Tom Brady earned praise Saturday for his call during a crucial moment in the Washington Commanders’ NFC divisional round victory over the Detroit Lions.
The Commanders led by three points with less than 14:30 to play. They decided to go for 4th and 2 from the Lions 5 yard line. One stop for the Lions and they would have gotten the ball back with enough time to tie the game or take the lead.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Tom Brady talks with Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson before their divisional playoff game against the Washington Commanders, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Brady noticed something was wrong in the Lions defense as the Commanders broke up their huddle.
“Need a timeout, 12 on the field, timeout,” Brady said. “Timeout! Timeout! No. No. Oh no! What are they doing?”
The Lions were penalized for having 12 men on the field. The penalty gave the Commanders another set of downs. Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. found the end zone two plays later and gave Washington a 38-28 lead. The Commanders won the game 45-28.
NFL referees under fire following questionable calls in Chiefs’ playoff win over Texans
Tom Brady in the broadcast booth of the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints on September 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jérôme Miron, file)
Brady, who called his first NFC divisional round game of his career, received kudos for calling out the Lions’ illegal defense.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell lamented the loss.
“We just didn’t complement each other,” he said. “We couldn’t get a stop when we needed to, and when we got a stop, we turned the ball over. With five turnovers – although there was one at the end and there was really had four, it’s too many.”
Lions head coach Dan Campbell speaks to the media after the loss to the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Mike Mulholland)
The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers star is in his first full season as a broadcaster for FOX. He’ll be on the phone with Kevin Burkhardt for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans next month.
