Ex-Rival QB Urges Tom Brady to Retire After Run of Poor Play

Tom Brady

Getty Buccaneers QB Tom Brady may have a difficult decision to make after the season.

A notable former NFL MVP has a candid message for Tom Brady.

Shortly after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered their second consecutive loss to an overwhelming underdog in the Carolina Panthers, NFL Network analyst and former quarterback Kurt Warner had some surprising advice for the Buccaneers quarterback — maybe it’s time to retire.

The 51-year-old former quarterback told People that both Brady and 38-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers look “exhausted.”

“I think both of those guys look like they’re exhausted,” Warner told People. “It’s O.K. to go, ‘You know what? It’s not how it used to be. I may not be who I used to be, or, it’s just too hard overall to get everybody up to the standard. Maybe it is time to walk away.’“

Warner knows a thing or two about playing quarterback at an advanced age. The former Super Bowl champion played until the age of 38 with the Arizona Cardinals. When he walked away from the game at the conclusion of the 2009 season, he did so while still playing at a high level. In fact, he had just led the Cardinals to a playoff berth while throwing 26 touchdowns against 14 interceptions during the 2009 season.

Coincidentally, it was Warner who was on the losing end of Brady’s first Super Bowl win during the 2001 season when the former was a member of the St. Louis Rams.


Retiring is ‘Not Being Defeated,’ Says Warner

The current NFL Network analyst wants to stress that retiring is not a matter of being “defeated.” It’s a matter of sometimes other stuff in life outweighing the enjoyment of the game.

“It’s not being defeated,” Warner said. “That’s not saying you can’t do it anymore. I just think sometimes that stuff outweighs the joy of the game, which is what it looks like is happening for those two guys and I feel for them.”

The Buccaneers are currently 3-4 heading into their Week 8 matchup versus the Baltimore Ravens. Although Tampa Bay has looked like a shell of the team that came within a field goal of advancing to the NFC Championship Game last season, Brady is still playing at a very high level.

The 45-year-old has thrown eight touchdowns versus just one interception and has 1,942 passing yards on the season — sixth-best mark in the league. In fact, his 92.8 passer rating is the ninth-best mark in the league.


Buccaneers’ Woes Have More to Do With Brady’s Supporting Cast

The seven-time Super Bowl champion’s play is among the best in the league despite the worst running game in the league — the unit is running for just 3.0 yards per carry — and an offensive line that lacks continuity. Three of Tampa Bay’s five starting offensive linemen did not start for the team last season.

In other words, Brady’s play remains strong despite an uneven supporting cast.

However, it’s clear that the lack of a running game and the fact that the Bucs’ offensive line is no longer elite is having a major impact on the team’s offensive unit. Tampa Bay is averaging just 17.7 points per game, 26th-best in the league. It’s a far cry from the 30.1 points per game that the team averaged last season.

If the Buccaneers are able to turn things around and win some games, maybe Brady’s demeanor will appear a little different. But if he really isn’t enjoying the game the way that he once did, Warner’s advice to Brady may just end up coming to fruition at the end of the season.

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