When it comes to ranking the NFL’s ultimate “good guys,” Tom Brady’s name will undeniably be at the top, and rightly so. While his GOAT status helps him remain the most revered star of his generation, what made Brady truly unique was his humility in admitting which defenders gave him nightmares. One such name that Brady has never hesitated to mention is Ed Reed.
Advertisement
The legendary Ravens safety was so dominant that the GOAT once called him “the toughest defensive back” he had ever faced. But in 2013, during a heated AFC Championship clash, that respect quickly turned into controversy. The seven-time Super Bowl winner had made a decision that sent shockwaves through the league.
As Brady scrambled on a second-quarter play, he was forced to slide to avoid an incoming Ed Reed. However, the star quarterback had his cleat raised, so he ended up injuring the Ravens’ safety.
As soon as the incident happened, Brady faced immense criticism from the media and the NFL world. His slide looked more like a soccer-style tackle than a routine quarterback slide. Even the NFL didn’t give the Patriots legend the benefit of the doubt, slapping him with a $10,000 fine for the “dangerous play.”
Though Brady apologized to Reed and the matter mellowed, the debate still hasn’t died down, with fans and analysts split on whether it was a dirty play by the QB.
But, if you ask Julian Edelman, it was an accidental hit more than anything. Over a decade later, the former Patriots WR and his crew reignited the debate in the latest episode of the Games with Names podcast. Unsurprisingly, Brady had the backing of his former teammate, as Edelman argued that the QB’s slide was simply a way to keep himself out of harm’s way.
“Dude, he was protecting himself,” Edelman said before bringing up the recent brutal hit on Trevor Lawrence to strengthen his argument.
“You see what happened to Trevor Lawrence this year? Trevor Lawrence—he goes down like this [mimics Lawrence’s fall without his cleats up]. Meanwhile, Tom—[raises his legs to show the slide that kept him safe].”
View this post on Instagram
In simple terms, Edelman believes that Brady’s infamous slide wasn’t about being dirty — it was about ensuring he didn’t end up in the same situation as Lawrence. And he was facing Ed Reed, after all. Although the Patriots went on to lose the AFC title clash, a hit from the safety could have forced him to watch the rest of the postseason from a hospital bed. It might have also disrupted his 2013 offseason.
For instance, when Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair leveled Lawrence with a vicious hit during a slide, knocking him unconscious, it marked the end of the season for the QB. He is expected to return in the 2025 offseason, although we all know that an injury leaves its mark for a while. So, will you blame Brady now?
Notably, Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended for three games without pay following Lawrence’s injury.
