Tom Brady Voices Disdain for the Current State of the NFL, Highlighting Widespread Mediocrity
Retired NFL star Tom Brady remains vigilant, closely monitoring the current season However, the legendary quarterback expresses disappointment, citing a pervasive mediocrity that plagues today's NFL
Tom Brady may have retired from football, but he continues to closely follow the NFL this season. The legendary quarterback expressed his disappointment with the current level of play in a recent interview on "The Stephen A. Smith Show," criticizing the performance in the league.
"There seems to be a lack of excellence in today's NFL compared to what I've seen in the past," he stated. When questioned about his reasoning, Brady continued, "I believe the coaching, player development, and overall strategies aren't up to the same standard as before."
"I think the rules have allowed a lot of bad habits to get into the actual performance of the game. So I just think the product, in my opinion, is less than what its been."
Brady won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.
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After retiring from the NFL in February following a 23-year career with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady hinted at the heightened scrutiny surrounding roughing-the-passer rules, designed to safeguard quarterbacks from injury, as well as unnecessary roughness rules.
He was thrust into the spotlight of this discussion last year when he was the beneficiary of a contentious roughing-the-passer call while the Bucs narrowly defeated the Atlanta Falcons.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Brock Purdy (13), was seen making a strong pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
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"Men thrive on competition and play with intensity," Brady stated. "I admire former players such as Ray Lewis, Rodney Harrison, and Ronnie Lott who made a significant impact on the game. However, their aggressive plays would likely result in penalties in today's game." He continued, "Offensive players must take responsibility for their own protection. It is not the job of a defensive player to protect an offensive player."
"A defensive player must prioritize self-protection. I believe that the rules have evolved in a way that allows for carefree play, with penalties imposed on hard hits. This is a significant departure from the game during my playing days. My teams used to emphasize avoiding tackles through fundamental techniques, but in today's game, there is a constant push for regulation."
Brady left the NFL with an unprecedented number of Super Bowl rings, along with the most wins, passing yards, and touchdowns in the league's history.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow grabs and holds his wrist after a throw against the Baltimore Ravens.
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Too much regulation or protecting players?
Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson, initially suspended for four games by the NFL for unnecessary roughness violations, which was later reduced to two on appeal, shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) expressing support for NFL legend Tom Brady's recent comments. This comes after Jackson was once again suspended for four games due to repeated violations of player safety rules following a hit on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs, despite the hit not being penalized during the game. This incident occurred in the Broncos' 21-20 win on Sunday night, which marked Jackson's first game back from his October suspension.
"It is possible to make contact with your opponent within the rules, but you chose not to," NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote in a letter to Broncos safety Jackson regarding his latest suspension, which he can appeal.
Former Super Bowl champion cornerback Richard Sherman, who supported Jackson after his previous suspension, responded to the new suspension and Bradys comments, sharing on X: "The product is suffering. Calling a player dirty because he plays a physical brand of football that would have him on every highlight tape on every network when this game was great. Skewed the game so that players don't have to be as skilled to be productive."
