Getty Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith (left) and Tom Brady (right).
Former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith heard Tom Brady’s recent comment about the level of play in the NFL nowadays and had something to say about it.
While sitting on a panel with two of Brady’s former New England Patriots teammates — Randy Moss and Tedy Bruschi — as well as former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan, Smith shared his opinion during ESPN’s pre-game show on November 26.
“Listen, I love Tom. The GOAT. But first off, he hasn’t been retired that long. He was just playing,” Smith began. “He just won a Super Bowl in the current game. Are we discounting that one?
“My biggest complaint to this and no offense to the three of you guys — (Tom Brady) played in the most uncompetitive division in NFL history,” Smith explained. “I mean, you come out of training camp in the biggest cupcake division, you got a ticket to the playoffs right away. Like, talk about mediocre.”
Alex Smith totally disagrees with Tom Brady’s characterization of the NFL.
Ryan appeared to playfully take offense to what Smith had to say. Meanwhile, both Moss and Bruschi listened to Smith with smiles on their faces.
“I completely disagree with this. I know he’s referencing the rule changes over the middle (of the field) to the receiver,” Smith continued. “But in my opinion, the game has gotten better. There’s more parity across the league. Quarterback play is at an all-time high in the league. You’ve got the best athletes playing the position. We didn’t have this 30-40 years ago. And then, also he’s referencing offensive numbers are down. To me, I think we’re in a golden age of D-linemen.”
What Tom Brady Said About NFL
During a recent appearance on the Stephen A. Smith Show on November 20, Brady criticized the current level of play in the NFL.
“I think there’s a lot of mediocrity in today’s NFL. I don’t see the excellence that I saw in the past,” Brady said. “I think the coaching isn’t as good as it was. I don’t think the development of young players is as good as it was. I don’t think the schemes are as good as they were. 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 it’s been.”
“I think there’s a lot of mediocrity in today’s NFL” – @TomBrady
Twitter/X Reacts to Alex Smith’s Brutally Honest Take
Users on X, formerly Twitter, reacted to Alex Smith’s brutally honest take on Tom Brady.
“It feels like we never, ever get pushback on anything that’s not a narrative puffing up the 2000s-era Patriots, so it’s great to see Alex Smith go there,” one user wrote.
“I’m glad he pointed out the obvious: Brady’s doing the “back in my day” thing when he retired a year ago and won a Super Bowl two years ago,” another user wrote. “When did the league get soft, exactly? Which of his Super Bowl victories occurred in this supposedly watered-down league?”
“This was Alex Smith’s shining moment today. Loved that he didn’t hold back,” another user wrote. “And I have always been a fan of Tom Brady. To say this on set with two of Brady’s former teammates and a former AFC East coach was great TV.”