Report: Tom Brady asked that game not be stopped if he sets passing record

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the New England Patriots would not stop Sunday's game to honor Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady if/when he sets the NFL's passing record. Now we know why.

According to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports (h/t Pro Football Talk), Brady specifically requested that the game not be stopped. Instead, the game will be briefly paused for a moment of recognition.

Glazer also noted that Bucs head coach Bruce Arians will be faced with a challenge in keeping Brady calm. Practice during the week was anything but calm.

It's not hard to see why Brady doesn't want the game stopped. He'll be dealing with enough emotions on Sunday night as it's his first time returning to Gillette Stadium since leaving the Patriots in 2020.

The 44-year-old needs to remain focused, as the Bucs could fall to 2-2 on the season with a loss. 

Brady will absolutely be honored before Sunday's game, but he doesn't expect Patriots fans to root for him this weekend, telling Jim Gray on their "Let's Go!" podcast on SiriusXM, "The home crowd at Gillette is a great crowd. And I think they're going to cheer for their team as I would expect them to."