Redskins linebacker London Fletcher says he’s stunned that he was flagged for a personal foul for falling on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady as Brady was sliding following a short run.
“He waited until the last minute to slide,” Fletcher told the Free-Lance Star. “He’s considered a runner. At that point in time, the referee thought I hit him in the head. I didn’t hit him in the head. I hit him in the shoulders, but what can you do?”
Referee Jeff Triplette announced that the penalty was for “a forearm to the head of the quarterback,” which is preposterous: Fletcher’s forearm was nowhere near Brady’s head.
Fletcher was so enraged at the officials after the call that it looked like he was about to get himself another personal foul penalty, but he said after the game that he was just trying to explain to the officials that he hadn’t been taking a cheap shot.
“You try to explain your situation, but they don’t really listen to you that much,” Fletcher said. “I think anybody who saw that definitely didn’t think it was the right call, but hey.”
Redskins coach Mike Shanahan called the penalty “horrible.” He’s right.