Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Breeland Speaks admitted he was worried about being called for a roughing the passer penalty on Tom Brady when he appeared to let the quarterback out of his grasp on a key play late in the fourth quarter Sunday.

Speaks had his left arm around Brady’s midsection behind the line of scrimmage, but the rookie said he wanted to avoid a penalty because he thought Brady had already thrown the ball.

Brady’s touchdown run gave New England a 37-33 lead. The Patriots ultimately won 43-40 on Stephen Gostkowski’s 28-yard field goal as time expired.

Brady responded to Speaks comments. 

Speaks, a second-round draft selection, said he will risk being penalized in the future in order to prevent game-changing touchdowns.

“It’s just the risk we’ve got to take now,” said Speaks, who finished with six tackles and a sack Sunday. “Whether we get the flag or not, whatever happens, you’ve just got to go ahead and push through it and go ahead and make that play.”

When the game is on the line, you do whatever you have to do in order to prevent a touchdown. I think that’s a weak excuse. 

Of course the NFL is trying to protect the QB’s, and all the penalties are designed to curtail the aggressiveness.