By Emilee White
Over the weekend, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced longtime rivals New Orleans Saints. If you were watching the game — and know the history behind the rivalry — you might have seen Brady throwing a Microsoft tablet.
Brady has since addressed why he threw the tablet, saying on the Let’s Go! Podcast, as reported by Fox Sports, “I think I forgot the password and I couldn’t log in so those things can be frustrating as we realize. So, unfortunately, a tablet just happens to get in the way and obviously that’s the reason why things weren’t going great yesterday. So I had to take it out on the poor meaningless tablet.”
This isn’t the first time an athlete, or even a coach, has taken his frustration out on the wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time tablet. Here are some other interesting moments where athletes and coaches battled it out with technology.
Tom Brady
Last weekend’s mishap wasn’t the first time Brady and his tablet’s relationship were on the rocks. Not even a year prior, Brady was seen aggressively throwing his tablet while his team was being defeated by the Saints.
“I’ve thrown a few electronic things in my day, as recently as the last couple weeks, so I’m sorry, I apologize,” Brady said on the Let’s Go! Podcast, according to Insider, as reported by Fox Sports. “I did get a warning from the NFL on that though, so I won’t throw another Surface.”
Aaron Rodgers
It looks like table throwing isn’t exclusive to Brady. In 2015, the Green Bay Packers were playing against the Carolina Panthers when Rodgers was recorded throwing his tablet out of obvious frustration. Rodgers has repeatedly denied claims that he threw a tablet hard enough to break it, saying “Tossed,” Rodgers said to ESPN. “Tossed. I don’t think I threw it hard enough for any damage to happen to it.”
Whether he “tossed” it or threw it harder he’s letting on, it still makes the list.
Bill Belichick
The New England Patriots head coach is known for having bouts with his tablets. (Wonder if that had anything to do with Brady’s new habit?)
It is such a common occurrence for Belichick to throw or break tablets that he released a statement talking about it.
It’s okay, Bill. Technology isn’t for everyone.
David Ortiz
Tablets aren’t the only form of technology that has fallen victim to athletes’ and coaches’ frustration in the past. Back in 2013, David Ortiz was seen smashing the bullpen phone with a bat.
Yes, you read that right.
A bat.
Ortiz was having a particular disagreement with the umpire in the 2013 game against the Baltimore Orioles. Tensions began to simmer when Ortiz threw his bat during his at-bat play and boiled over when he eventually struck out. As Ortiz left the field, he swapped some heated words with the ump and proceeded to take his anger out on the phone, which led to him being ejected from the game.
I mean, we get the frustration, but what did the phone ever do to you, David?
Photo Credit: Steve Jacobson
