Tom Brady disciplined by NFL over dirty play against Cowboys

Tom Brady is beginning his offseason a little lighter in the wallet.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brady was officially fined by the NFL $16,444 for his attempted trip of Dallas Cowboys safety Malik Hooker in last Monday’s wild-card playoff game (per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). The league ruled that the move from Brady was unnecessary roughness and also fined Bucs center Ryan Jensen $8,333.33 for unnecessary roughness over the same play.

Brady, who was flummoxed by the Cowboys defense all game, slid to the ground and kicked out his leg to try to bring down Hooker after Hooker scooped up a Chris Godwin fumble in the third quarter (video here). It appeared to be a frustration move from Brady as the Buccaneers were trailing 24-0 at the time and went on to lose 31-14.

Nobody knows for sure at this point if that was the final game of the 45-year-old Brady’s legendary career. But some of his teammates do have a guess as to which way Brady is leaning.