Tom Brady criticises roughing-the-passer calls in Lions' 20-17 win over Packers
Commentating for Fox, Tom Brady said a late roughing-the-passer call against Green Bay's Karl Brooks was wrong in Detroit's 20-17 win. Fox rules analyst Dean Blandino agreed, and Pat McAfee praised Brady for speaking out.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 1The Detroit Lions beat the Green Bay Packers 20-17 on Sunday, moving to 4-2 while the Packers fell to 4-3. NewsweekN “The Detroit Lions beat their rival Green Bay Packers 20-17 on Sunday, moving to 4-2 on the season while the Packers dropped to 4-3.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2With the game tied 17-17 and under three minutes left, Packers defensive tackle Karl Brooks hit Lions quarterback Jared Goff just after Goff threw an 18-yard completion to tight end Sam LaPorta. Officials flagged Brooks for roughing the passer, and the 15 added yards moved Detroit to the Green Bay 40. NewsweekN “Refs flagged Brooks for roughing the passer, adding 15 yards to the 18-yard completion and helping Detroit move into field-goal range.” Read at Newsweek ↗ BreitbartR “the referees flagged Brooks for roughing the passer, and the added penalty yards moved Detroit to the Green Bay 40.” Read at Breitbart ↗ Centre · 1The Lions won on a 22-yard Jake Bates field goal as time expired. NewsweekN “The Lions eventually won on a 22-yard Jake Bates field goal as time expired.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Mixed · 2Tom Brady, calling the game for Fox with Kevin Burkhardt, said on air: "No, my goodness, what is that? There's no way... That's definitely not roughing the passer." BreitbartR ““No, my goodness, what is that? There’s no way,” Brady said.” Read at Breitbart ↗ NewsweekN “Tom Brady, calling the game for FOX alongside Kevin Burkhardt, was stunned by the decision.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Fox rules analyst Dean Blandino, a former NFL head of officials, agreed. He called it "teach tape tackling" and said it was not roughing the passer. BreitbartR ““It wasn’t late. His head is up. That’s teach tape tackling. That’s not roughing the passer,” Blandino said.” Read at Breitbart ↗ NewsweekN “FOX rules analyst Dean Blandino agreed, describing the play as a textbook tackle rather than a penalty.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Right · 1Breitbart reports that Brady also questioned an earlier roughing call on Packers linebacker Brenton Cox. That penalty turned a fourth-down punting situation into a first down, and the Lions ran eight more plays before the drive stalled at the Green Bay six. BreitbartR “The penalty didn’t directly result in points, but it turned a fourth-down punting situation into 1st & 10, and the Lions ran eight more plays before the drive stalled at the Green Bay six.” Read at Breitbart ↗
Centre · 1ESPN personality Pat McAfee praised Brady afterwards for criticising the calls publicly, saying Brady is "an owner and one of the lead commentators" and has "A LOT OF WEIGHT." NewsweekN “"I really appreciate Tom Brady's disdain for some of the Roughing the Passer calls. He's an owner and one of the lead commentators ... he's got A LOT OF WEIGHT."” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Brady owns a 5% stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, approved by NFL owners in October 2024. Newsweek reports that the league's conditions on his broadcasting role include following rules that bar owners from publicly criticising officials and other clubs. NewsweekN “The conditions also require him to follow league rules that prohibit owners from publicly criticizing officials and other clubs.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Newsweek adds that Green Bay also missed two field goals, threw a costly fourth-quarter interception and scored only seven points in seven red-zone trips. It says the 2026 season has had many questionable penalties. NewsweekN “Green Bay also missed two field goals, threw a costly fourth-quarter interception, and scored only seven points in seven trips to the red zone” Read at Newsweek ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Newsweek leads with Pat McAfee backing Brady and presents the story as a debate about officiating, with context on Brady's ownership stake and league restrictions.
- Emphasis
- Brady's league-imposed restrictions on criticising officials, McAfee's reaction, and Green Bay's own mistakes alongside the calls.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the earlier Brenton Cox roughing call.
- Charged language
- “controversial”“blasts”
- For example
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“Tom Brady blasts a controversial roughing-the-passer call during Packers-Lions, prompting Pat McAfee to praise the NFL legend.” — Newsweek
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Breitbart treats the officiating as exceptionally bad and Brady's criticism as a significant intervention that the league will have to heed.
- Emphasis
- Play-by-play detail of the Brooks hit, the Cox penalty's effect on field position, and Brady's stature as a champion and Raiders minority owner.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the league rule against owners criticising officials, McAfee's reaction, or Green Bay's missed field goals and interception.
- Charged language
- “Rips”“fraudulent”“worse officiated sporting event”
What every side reports
- Brady, working as Fox's analyst, criticised the roughing-the-passer call on Karl Brooks for a hit on Jared Goff.
- Dean Blandino, Fox's rules analyst, agreed with Brady.
- The call added 15 yards to an 18-yard completion to Sam LaPorta and moved Detroit toward field-goal range.
- Brady is a minority owner of the Raiders.
Where accounts differ
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How bad the officiating was and whether it decided the game
- Centre
- Newsweek calls the officiating controversial and says the late call affected the winning drive. It also lists Green Bay's own errors, including missed field goals, an interception and red-zone failures.
- Right
- Breitbart says it is hard to find a worse-officiated game in world history and calls the penalties "fraudulent". It does not mention Green Bay's own mistakes.
Tom Brady person
Said on air that the Brooks hit on Goff was not roughing the passer and that officials should not add 15 yards for it.
“That’s definitely not roughing the passer.” — Breitbart
Pat McAfee person
Praised Brady's willingness to criticise roughing calls, saying his status as owner and lead commentator gives him weight.
“he's got A LOT OF WEIGHT.” — Newsweek
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre5 articles
Show 1 moreShow fewer
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Pat McAfee Sides With Tom Brady Over Controversial Packers-Lions Officiating
Neutral Reaction piece on McAfee backing Brady, with context on Brady's ownership restrictions and Green Bay's other failings.
Right1 article
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Tom Brady Rips NFL Refs During Lions-Packers Game: 'What Is That?!'
Critical Strongly condemns the officiating and presents Brady's remarks as influential at the highest levels of the NFL.
- 25 Oct 23:54 First NewsweekN Packers-Lions Refs Under Fire for Controversial Roughing the Passer Penalty
- 26 Oct 00:48 +54m NewsweekN Matt LaFleur Reacts to Controversial Penalties in Packers-Lions Game
- 26 Oct 02:17 +2h 23m NewsweekN Packers Star Unloads on NFL Officials After Controversial Loss to Lions
- 26 Oct 02:23 +2h 29m NewsweekN NFL Taunts Packers About Officiating With Savage Troll Post
- 26 Oct 03:18 +3h 24m NewsweekN Pat McAfee Sides With Tom Brady Over Controversial Packers-Lions Officiating
- 26 Oct 03:20 +3h 26m BreitbartR Tom Brady Rips NFL Refs During Lions-Packers Game: 'What Is That?!'
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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