What Prompted Tom Brady's Rare Unsportsmanlike Conduct Penalty?

For the first time in Tom Brady's career, the veteran quarterback was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

While Brady was often under duress during the game — taking three sacks — one strip-sack by Rams pass rusher Von Miller left the QB with a bloody lip.

Brady approached referee Shawn Hochuli looking for a flag on Miller — as the top of Miller's helmet left the QB's mouth bleeding slightly — but was met with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty instead.

Though the penalty marked the QB's first unsportsmanlike conduct call in his career, Hochuli explained the flag after the game.

“He got in my face in an aggressive manner and used abusive language,” Hochuli said. “As for the hit, we did not think that it rose to the level of roughing the passer.”

Around the NFL reports that while Brady was knocked back a step or two, he didn't come close to falling down as a result of the contact.

Despite the conversations surrounding the unusual penalty, the veteran QB's future has also been a topic — Brady was repeatedly asked after the game whether he's thought about hanging up his cleats, and he repeatedly dodged answering the question.

Even if this was Brady's final game — he'll never forget it and neither will we.