Ray Lewis: Tuck rule 'only reason we know who Tom Brady is'

ESPN NFL analyst Ray Lewis appeared on Stephen A. Smith's radio show on Wednesday to talk about the upcoming conference championship games, and when talk turned to the New England Patriots, Lewis made an outlandish claim.

ESPN NFL analyst Ray Lewis appeared on Stephen A. Smith's radio show on Wednesday to talk about the upcoming conference championship games, and when talk turned to the New England Patriots, Lewis made an outlandish claim.

"The only reason we know who Tom Brady is, because of a tuck rule! There’s no such thing as a tuck rule! If the ball is in your hand, and I knock it out your hand, whether it’s going backwards, forwards, lateral, sideways, however it’s coming out, that’s a freaking fumble! But guess what we created? We created a freaking tuck rule!" 

For Lewis to disagree with the tuck rule is reasonable, as many have complained about the rationale behind it.

• Here is Tom Brady in a Bill Belichick hoodie

To say that Tom Brady, who has won three Super Bowls and two NFL MVP awards, would be an unknown if the Patriots had not benefited from the rule in the 2001 AFC championship, is quite a stretch.

[Sporting News]

- Brendan Maloy