Tom Brady is not impressed.
The retired quarterback, 46, aired his complaints about the decline in the “quality” of the NFL’s on-field product during the recent look on The Stephen A. Smith Show.
“I think there’s a lot of mediocrity in today’s NFL,” Brady said of the quality of play in the league, adding, “I’m not seeing the excellence that I’ve seen in the past.”
When Smith questioned the cause of the league’s dwindling excellence, Brady gave multiple reasons for the change. “I don’t think the coaching is as good as it used to be. I don’t think the development of the young players is as good as it used to be,” Brady explained.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion also pointed the finger at “the rules” for “allowing a lot of bad habits to creep into the actual execution of the game,” while speaking with Smith.
“I just think the product, in my opinion, is less than what it was.” Brady continued.
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Concluding his critique of the current state of the NFL, Brady said he looks at “guys who have impacted the game in a certain way,” citing former greats Ray Lewis, Rodney Harrison and Ronnie Lott.
“Every punt they made would be a penalty,” Brady said, insisting his generation of NFL players “worked on the fundamentals” of the sport.
“You hear coaches complaining about their own player getting tackled. Why don’t they talk to their player about how to protect themselves? Offensive players have to protect themselves,” Brady continued.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) looks into the stands before the regular season game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 27, 2022 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty
In the conversation, he insisted that “it is not up to the defender to protect the attacker”, as “the defender should protect himself”.
“I didn’t throw the ball into certain areas because I was afraid the players would be knocked out. That’s the reality. I didn’t throw it into the middle when I played with Ray Lewis because he would throw them out, and I couldn’t afford to lose a good player. ”
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Since retiring from the NFL “for good” in February after 23 seasons in the league, Brady has been enjoying quality time with his children.
He has a son John “Jack” Edward Thomas (16) with actress Bridget Moynahan and two children with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen – Benjamin Rein (13) and Vivian Lake (10).
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Tom Brady shares a moment with daughter Vivian.
JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images
In 2024, Brady will make his Fox Sports debut.
He previously announced his plans to go on the air in May 2022, sharing at the time that he felt “excited” about the opportunity and assured fans that he had “a lot of unfinished business on the field with the Buccaneers.”
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During the interview at FS1 “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd in February, Brady said he wanted to “really learn” and “become great at what I want to do” before immediately transitioning from playing to his broadcasting gig.
“It will be a great opportunity for me to take some time and really become [great] at my job at Fox, which I’m really looking forward to, but also catching up on other parts of my life that need some time and energy,” Brady said.
Brady’s deal with the network is reportedly worth $375 million over 10 years, per multiple outlets.
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