Tom Brady is fined $16,444 for 'reckless' slide tackle on Cowboys safety Malik Hooker during Bucs' first-round playoff exit<br /><br />The 45-year-old's 'dirty' tackle was first spotted by NFL eagle-eye fans on Twitter<br /><br />Tom Brady has been fined $16,444 for 'unnecessary roughness' during last week's wild-card round playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, which the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost 31-14.<br /><br />The punishment comes a little less than a week after Brady came under fire for a dirty tackle on Dallas safety Malik Hooker during the third quarter, which was initially spotted by eagle-eye NFL fans, according to the NFL Network's Ian Rappoport.<br /><br />On the play, Hooker had recovered a fumble from one of Tampa Bay's wide receivers, Chris Goodwin, and was on his way upfield when he was eventually brought down by Bucs receiver Julio Jones.<br /><br />However, during the return, Brady seemed to have gone to the ground in an attempt to 'slide tackle' the Dallas defender out of frustration<br /><br />After the play, the referees overturned the fumble call, but Braddy's challenge left a distate on those who were potentially watching the 45-year-old's last postseason game, should he confirm rumors of retiring after this season<br /><br />Brady's also experienced being in the spotlight for the wrong reasons far more often than he's used to following his divorce from his ex-wife Giselle Bundchen in October - barely a month after the start of this season.
