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Official congratulates Tom Brady for win? Weird.

By John Buhler

FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 21: Tom Brady No 12 of the New England Patriots reacts after winning the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 21: Tom Brady No 12 of the New England Patriots reacts after winning the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /
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Tom Brady is going to yet another Super Bowl. It was such an impressive comeback versus the Jacksonville Jaguars that the lead official congratulated him.

It took a great fourth-quarter comeback, but yes, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are on their way to Super Bowl LII. They overcame a 10-point deficit to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday evening 24-20 to make it to back-to-back Super Bowls.

Brady would connect with wide receiver Danny Amendola for the game-winning score. The Patriots will face the winner of the 2017 NFC Championship between the Minnesota Vikings and the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis.

While Jacksonville played its tail off, some might think that the officials ruled heavily in New England’s favor. The Patriots only had one penalty against them and that was on special teams. Jacksonville got flagged a good bit down the stretch. No, it absolutely does not help that lead official Clete Blakeman was literally one of the first people to congratulate Brady on getting back to the Super Bowl.

You’re darn right it was weird. When do you ever see an official pay his respects to a player in a game in which he is officiating? Blakeman just did it right in front of everybody. He even beat Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles to talking with Brady. It was odd and only feeds into the narrative that the NFL wants the Patriots to win.

To be fair, the NFL would get the best ratings for Super Bowl LII if they got the Patriots versus the hometown Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in two weeks. It would be the reigning NFL dynasty versus the snake-bitten NFC champion playing in its own building. That would be the first time that has ever happened. Minnesota has to get it done on the road versus the Eagles first.

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While Brady played like the champion he is, couldn’t you have waited until you were out of sight to congratulate Brady, Blakeman? It’s not really a good look for the league at all. If we needed a story in the next two weeks to get us ready for Super Bowl LII, well, here’s one!

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