A recent National Football League penalty call. Roughing the Brady occurs when a defensive player makes a now illegal defensive play on league poster boy, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

Roughing the Brady entered the league rulebooks after the 2008 NFL season in which Brady suffered a horrific knee injury against the Kansas City Chiefs. Subsequently, Brady was placed on injured reserve and was out for the season.

Concluding the 2008 season, NFL executives strictly sought to prevent teams from making defensive plays exclusively against New England Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady. In short, the proverbial yellow flag is thrown whenever Tom Brady is under extreme duress and is tackled. Afterward, the previous play is stricken and the opposing team is penalized. The particular rationale of this new officiating policy is somewhat unclear... but it is assumed the Patriots owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick had a part in the creation of this new penalty call.

At the start of the 2009 NFL season, the league officiating crew put the "Roughing the Brady" call to extensive use. Notably, Week 4 of the 2009 season, with the Baltimore Ravens at New England, the officiating crew stymied several defensive plays made by the archetypal Baltimore defense with the "Roughing the Brady penalty.
Jeff the Titans Fan: What the heck! why is our safety Chris Hope getting fined $10,000.00 for a clean tackle against Tom Brady?

Steve the Titans Fan: Man that game was straight up embarrassing. A complete whitewash! Hell, the refs were calling roughing the Brady all day. Nowadays you ain't allowed to tackle, sack, or force a fumble on Brady. And I thought only the Steelers bribed refs.

Jeff the Titans Fan: That's some bullspit!
by Define Me! October 23, 2009
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