Patrick Mahomes unnecessary roughness controversy: Tom Brady picks sides as refs double down on decision

On Sunday, December 4, 2023, the Kansas City Chiefs were trailing the Green Bay Packers by 8 points with just over a minute remaining in the game.

Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs' quarterback, was scrambling out of the pocket when he was hit by Packers safety Jonathan Owens. The officials threw a flag for unnecessary roughness on Owens, giving the Chiefs a first down and extending their drive.

The call was controversial because it appeared that Mahomes was out of bounds when he was hit. However, the officials ruled that Mahomes was still in bounds and that Owens made unnecessary contact with him.

After the game, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said that he thought the call was "bogus." He said that Owens was "trying to make a play on the ball" and that he didn't think it was an unnecessary roughness penalty.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid defended the call, saying that it was "the right call." He said that Owens hit Mahomes from behind and that it was a "clear" penalty.

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The NFL's officiating department reviewed the call and upheld it. They said that Owens made "late and unnecessary contact" with Mahomes and that the penalty was the correct call.

The call has sparked a debate about the NFL's rules on protecting quarterbacks. Some people believe that the rules are too strict and that they make it difficult for defenders to play aggressively.

Tom Brady, the legendary quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, weighed in on the controversy on Monday. He said that he doesn't like the way that the rules have been interpreted in recent years.

The reality is defenses should be aggressive. There was a hit on Patrick Mahomes last night where he was running out of bounds where he wasn't even out of bounds. Quarterbacks need to learn how to throw the ball away.

The controversy is likely to continue as the NFL season progresses. It is a reminder of the difficult job that officials have in making split-second decisions on the field.

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