Tom Brady made a rookie mistake on Thursday Night Football. The greatest quarterback of all time apparently lost track off what down it was in his team’s final drive of the game, which led to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 20-19 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 5.
On a fourth-and-6 with 33 seconds left in the game, Brady fired a ball to the middle of the field for tight end Cameron Brate, but the ball fell incomplete. The game was essentially over. The Buccaneers drive was over. But Brady remained on the field. He held up his hand, with four fingers held high. He even kept his teammates on the field. He clearly thought the previous play was third down — not fourth.
The Bucs QB appealed to the officials, who, of course, knew that Brady had just committed a turnover on downs. It was no use. Here’s a look at Brady’s confusion.
Wow! Tom Brady didn’t realize it was 4th down… you forget things in your old age. #TNF pic.twitter.com/oDF1LAml8R
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) October 9, 2020
Tom Brady thought it was 3rd down after a 4th down incompletion ended the game for Tampa Bay. pic.twitter.com/YF25w3rU3Y
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) October 9, 2020
NFL fans tore into Brady for the mistake.
Brady: Why is everyone walking off the field? It’s just the third quarter.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) October 9, 2020
Senior moment
— Mike Sando (@SandoNFL) October 9, 2020
Tom Brady with the baseball equivalent of forgetting how many outs there were. Never thought I’d see that.
— Jason Mastrodonato (@JMastrodonato) October 9, 2020
43-year-old man forgets something important at work
— Zach Kruse (@zachkruse2) October 9, 2020
So, it was Tom Brady who taught Brian Hoyer to count
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) October 9, 2020
Oh no. Tom didn't know what down it was.
Senior moment.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) October 9, 2020
Live look into Foxboro pic.twitter.com/YAuxAZZznA
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) October 9, 2020
Everyone thought Brady would decline physically — that his arm would decline. But no one could see this coming. Maybe Brady isn’t as sharp as he used to be.
