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It's hard to envision Tom Brady experiencing something for the first time in his illustrious NFL career. But that's exactly what happened in the second quarter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
The quarterback was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for the first time in his career after the quarterback complained about a late hit to his face mask. Rams linebacker Von Miller was a fraction late in his attempt to thwart a pass from Brady and hit the quarterback helmet-first in his face mask.
Watch the full play here:
Brady was visibly upset about the hit and animatedly pleaded his case to referee Shawn Hochuli, who proceeded to call an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Buccaneers quarterback, the first of his career. The veteran star's ire was seemingly fair as he had a visible cut on his lower lip.
The five-time Super Bowl MVP managed to negate the 15-yard penalty with a brilliant pass to running back Leonard Fournette, who ran for a first down. But the drive ended with a missed field goal attempt from Ryan Succop, adding to the Buccaneers quarterback's frustration.
Tom Brady's final playoff run?
Brady's first career unsportsmanlike conduct could also be his last, as the quarterback is reportedly mulling retirement at the end of the campaign.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the quarterback is non-committal to his plans beyond the current season.
Over the years, the veteran quarterback has been vocal about his desire to play until he turned 45 and had also claimed recently that he might continue beyond that. But the 44-year-old quarterback is yet to clarify whether he will be returning for the 2022 NFL season.
His current contract runs until the end of the 2022 season, but the quarterback may opt to call it a career once the Buccaneers are eliminated from the playoffs. The seven-time Super Bowl champion had a spectacular season in 2021, leading the league with 5,316 passing yards and 43 touchdown passes.
If the quarterback does retire at the end of the campaign, he will do so while somewhere near the peak of his power, a testament to his unmatched longevity. The future First-Ballot Hall of Famer may finally be ready to draw curtains on an incredible career.
Also check out: Pittsburgh Steelers Playoff History, Appearances, Wins and more
