Getty Tom Brady didn't have flattering things to say about his younger cohorts.
It’s probably safe to say that Tom Brady looks down a little bit upon his younger generation of quarterbacks.
While doing an interview with Fox Sports’ Erin Andrews, the 42-year-old quarterback started discussing the differences between today’s quarterbacks who are of a dual-threat mold — guys such as Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes — compared to classic pocket quarterbacks such as Brady.
The 20-year veteran didn’t hold back in his criticism of his younger cohorts, stating that the young quarterbacks make it into more of a skills competition and that they don’t protect their wide receivers enough on passes.
“I think the game’s changed a little bit from when I started,” Brady told Erin Andrews on Fox NFL Sunday. “I think it’s a little more of a skills competition than necessarily a football game.”
“For a quarterback, I should be responsible for protecting my receivers. I shouldn’t throw the ball in certain placed if I know they’re going to get hit,” he said. “I think a lot of quarterbacks now, they just throw it.”
When it pertains to his argument about protecting receivers, Brady argued that the rule changes over the course of his career — ones in which the referees will throw flags for unnecessary roughness — have led quarterbacks to relying on officiating to protect their receivers — rather than doing it themselves with proper and safe passes.
Is Tom Brady . . . . Jealous?
While Brady may have some valid points here, he does come across as a little salty. When this interview was conducted, it was obviously right after Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens ran roughshod over the Patriots for a 37-20 victory in Week 9.
It’s no coincidence that another young, dual-threat quarterback — DeShaun Watson — led the Houston Texans to a 28-22 victory over Brady’s Patriots in Week 13. In other words, Brady was outgunned and outplayed by the poster children of the modern dual-threat quarterback.
In other words, is Brady a little bit jealous that maybe his time has passed and that other younger and more talented quarterbacks have surpassed him?
Maybe the game has become a little bit more of a highlight reel, but the results don’t lie — these highlight-reel quarterbacks are excelling — and they’re excelling by beating classic pocket quarterbacks such as Brady.
It’s called the game is evolving.
Pats Players and Coaches Would Welcome AB Back
In other major Patriots news, New England would reportedly welcome Antonio Brown back. According to a recent report by Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Pats players and coaches would more than welcome Brown back.
However, here’s the one major issue — team owner Robert Kraft doesn’t seem too keen on the idea of bringing back the former Patriots wide receiver.
“Former Patriots receiver Antonio Brown continues to train in hopes of a return this season, while the NFL determines any discipline from accusations of sexual assault made against him in a civil lawsuit. New England players and coaches would welcome him back, sources said.” La Canfora explained.
“Owner Robert Kraft, who released Brown after playing one game with the team, is the deciding factor, and has not shown an inclination to give the receiver another shot after his repeated missteps on social media in the aftermath of his release by the Patriots months ago. However, if Kraft were to reconsider, sources said Brown’s teammates and coaches would support bringing him back, with Brown’s chemistry with Tom Brady obvious from his initial practice with the team and Brown getting along well with all parties during his brief stint there.”
Brown was a member of the Patriots for roughly two weeks, appearing in one game for New England before he was released.
The veteran wide receiver is currently in the midst of sexual misconduct allegations and it’s unclear on whether or not he’ll be suspended once he does sign with an NFL team.