What did Tom Brady say in Mike Evans defense after the WR’s suspension?
From his own responsibility to criticizing the league itself, the Buccaneers star stood firm on the idea that his teammate’s suspension was the wrong decision.
Following Mike Evans suspension, Tampa Bay’s star made it known that he was infuriated by his teammate’s punishment, but given the video evidence of the situation, it would appear the league’s decision isn’t wrong.
Tom Brady thinks Mike Evans’ suspension is “ridiculous”
With Sunday’s 20-10 win over the New Orleans Saints in the bag, Tampa Bay’s star QB Tom Brady has made it clear that he would never have suspended wide receiver Mike Evans for his role in what turned out to be a second half brawl between the two teams. Indeed, during his weekly “Let’s Go” podcast, Brady was questioned about the scenario that unfolded on the field and the legendary signal caller didn’t hesitate to defend his teammate or his actions.
“I think just sometimes the emotions get the best of us, and I love Mike. And the fact that Mike would come out there to defend me means everything in the world to me as a teammate and a friend,” Brady said. Brady also went on to say that it was ‘ridiculous’ that Evans was given a one-game suspension, making him the only player involved in the brawl to receive a suspension. “Mike knows how I feel about him,” Brady said. “So in the end, emotions are a part of sports. Sometimes they boil over, and they obviously did (Sunday), and it’s an unfortunate circumstance. I don’t think it deserved any type of suspension; I think that’s ridiculous. Hopefully we can move past it and get to a better place.”
What was the NFL’s stance on Mike Evans?
Officially, the league stated that Evans was punished because he “violently threw” his body into an unsuspecting opponent (Marshon Lattimore) - see it below. It also goes without saying that Evans’ previous actions where the Saints are concerned would have been taken into account. If you’re not familiar with what that means, it was back in 2017 when Evans was suspended for one game after making a blindside hit on the said same Lattimore. To be clear, the NFL does in fact consider an individual’s prior history when imposing sanctions.
Tom Brady believes he is partially responsible for Mike Evans’ suspension
Fans will remember, that before things got heated on Sunday, it was Tom Brady who argued the referee’s call. Indeed, Tampa Bay’s QB actually admitted that had it not been for his issue with the official, Evans would probably not have been involved and subsequently punished.
“Obviously if I didn’t run down there to argue with the call...if things weren’t said back and forth between both teams, it could’ve been avoided,” Brady said. “There’s a lot of things that go into it and there’s a lot of things at fault, so I don’t think Mike should be the one to be blamed and singled out. Unfortunately, he has been, and that’s just the reality of life in the NFL.” Regardless, at this point the one thing that isn’t up for debate is the fact that when Brady and Co. face two-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers and his Green Bay Packers, it will be without Evans.