New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was fined $10,000 by the NFL for making contact with Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed on a slide late in the first half of the AFC Championship Game, according to a league source.
During the final minute of the first half, Brady slid to the ground to end an impromptu run. The star quarterback had one leg raised a few feet off the ground and it hit Reed, who emerged from the play without injury.
Ravens safety Bernard Pollard publicly complained and asserted that Brady deserved to be fined by the NFL, which levies fines on defensive players for helmet-to-helmet hits.
"If you want to keep this going in the right direction, everyone should be penalized for their actions," Pollard said Monday.
"(Brady) knew what he was doing. It has to go both ways."
Reed acknowledged Tuesday that Brady had reached out to him to apologize.
"I told him -- you know, we talked," Reed told WJZ-FM in Baltimore. "We talked actually not too long ago; we talked on the phone. He actually reached out to me, texted me. I tried to text him back, but the message exploded after 12 seconds, so I had to call him ... and he just apologized and what not. But I told him, 'You know, it's good, man.'"
Reed said at the time of the incident he did not say anything to Brady.
"For the most part, I didn't say anything to him when he said something to me at the game. ... He was going, 'You want to play like that, let's go,'" Reed said. "But no, Brady's a great competitor and I love going against him and I know where his heart is at for this game. It was all good."
The nine-time Pro Bowl safety added that he has respect for Brady.
"I know he's a great player," he said. "I respect Brady and his game for all it stands for, and I know he's not a dirty player. And emotions get going in the game."
http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/...cording-source
During the final minute of the first half, Brady slid to the ground to end an impromptu run. The star quarterback had one leg raised a few feet off the ground and it hit Reed, who emerged from the play without injury.
Ravens safety Bernard Pollard publicly complained and asserted that Brady deserved to be fined by the NFL, which levies fines on defensive players for helmet-to-helmet hits.
"If you want to keep this going in the right direction, everyone should be penalized for their actions," Pollard said Monday.
"(Brady) knew what he was doing. It has to go both ways."
Reed acknowledged Tuesday that Brady had reached out to him to apologize.
"I told him -- you know, we talked," Reed told WJZ-FM in Baltimore. "We talked actually not too long ago; we talked on the phone. He actually reached out to me, texted me. I tried to text him back, but the message exploded after 12 seconds, so I had to call him ... and he just apologized and what not. But I told him, 'You know, it's good, man.'"
Reed said at the time of the incident he did not say anything to Brady.
"For the most part, I didn't say anything to him when he said something to me at the game. ... He was going, 'You want to play like that, let's go,'" Reed said. "But no, Brady's a great competitor and I love going against him and I know where his heart is at for this game. It was all good."
The nine-time Pro Bowl safety added that he has respect for Brady.
"I know he's a great player," he said. "I respect Brady and his game for all it stands for, and I know he's not a dirty player. And emotions get going in the game."
http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/...cording-source
Comment