It’s the Super Bowl. Tom Brady takes the snap, sees all his receivers covered and rolls out of the pocket to his right. With nothing available downfield and his check-down options smothered, Brady throws the ball away into the stands.
Immediately, the referee nearby throws a flag. Brady doesn’t understand what just happened. An intentional grounding penalty can only be called when the quarterback is still in the pocket, he thought, not when he’s near the sidelines.
Not so, the referee tells him. Not in the state — Texas — where the Super Bowl is taking place.