When Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady throws for at least 68 passing yards on Sunday night (if/when, technically), there will be no laminated sheet of paper from a white-gloved David Baker or anyone else.
Via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Patriots plan to “pause” to acknowledge the achievement. The game won’t be stopped, however, for any sort of ceremony.
In 2018, when former Saints quarterback Drew Brees set the current record of 80,358 in New Orleans, the game stopped for a ceremony, a celebration, and yes a laminated sheet of paper. Brees will actually be present for tonight’s game. It would be even more memorable for a moment to happen between the two of them.
If it’s going to happen, it needs to be quick. The game will not shut down.
On the surface, that’s a strategic mistake by the Patriots. As we’ve said all week, they improve their chances of winning if they can cut through the cyborg layer and get to human being within Brady. Stopping the game and giving him an ovation and hoping the moment hits him as he’s getting ready to continue to play (unless the 68th yard comes on, say, a 62-yard touchdown pass) would be the smartest move.
Although Schefter’s report doesn’t mention this, it wouldn’t be a surprise to know that Brady specifically requested that no big deal be made when he gets to 80,359. From his perspective, he shouldn’t want any sort of pomp and/or circumstance. The robot must remain robotic until the game ends and he turns off the battery.
Presumably, at that point, we’ll see a human moment from Brady. Unless Nick Foles somehow ends up in the building, because we know that whenever Brady loses a game with Nick Foles present Brady hightails it to the locker room.
Report: Patriots will only “pause” game when Tom Brady sets career yardage record originally appeared on Pro Football Talk