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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Henry McKenna

Tom Brady is dealing with yet another handshaking controversy

As consistent as Tom Brady has been with his pre-game rituals, the quarterback is inconsistent with his postgame routine. He seems to decide, on a whim, whether he’s going to shake the opposing quarterback’s hand.

When it was Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr after wins this year, Brady trotted to midfield to shake hands and have a chat. When it was Nick Foles in Super Bowl LII (or in October) or Jared Goff in Week 11 on primetime on Monday, Brady did not meet his opposing quarterback postgame in a show of sportsmanship. The bottom line is that the current Tampa Bay Buccaneers and former New England Patriots quarterback tends to avoid the handshake in a loss, and folks don’t like it.

Here’s a look at the latest snub from Brady. After the Bucs’ loss to the Rams on Monday night, Brady headed to the locker room immediately after the game. That left Goff awkwardly roaming the field to look for Brady.

FOX Sports analyst Shannon Sharpe was among those who reacted with a bombastic take about Brady’s decision to leave the field before making a gentlemanly gesture with Goff. Sharpe was not of fan of Brady.

I, for one, don’t really care whose hand Brady shakes and does not shake. Should he be more consistent? Sure. Should Brady do it to set a good example for youngsters? Yeah, it’s an easy thing to do to appease the masses. But is it a big deal that he skips the formality? No, not really. This is a professional sport — but it’s hardly a gentleman’s game — so if Brady elects to leave the field after a stinker, then so be it.

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