Getty Tom Brady waves to the crowd after the Buccaneers beat the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 9.
It’s hard to imagine NFL fans forgetting Tom Brady, especially the case for Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans.
Brady said on his Let’s Go! podcast on Monday that he sees it coming sooner than later because of the plethora of talented young quarterbacks in the NFL.
“I don’t remember this many rookies playing,” Brady said on his podcast via Fox News. “Even the second-year guys. Tua (Tagovailoa), (Justin) Herbert, (Joe) Burrow, Trevor Lawrence. (Justin) Fields played a little bit. Trey Lance played a little bit. Zach Wilson is playing. Mac Jones is playing. That’s a lot of young quarterbacks.”
“Gone are the days of Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Eli Manning,” Brady added. “You know, those are the guys I’m used to hearing about. … I’ll be forgotten here soon. I’ll move on and they’ll be onto someone else but that’s just the way football goes, as does life.”
Being forgotten seems further away than soon because Brady has two years left on his contract with the Bucs, and he is still playing at a championship level. Brady told Peter King of Football Morning in America that he will hang it up once he can’t play at that level.
“I’ll know when the time’s right,” Brady told King in August. “If I can’t . . . if I’m not a championship-level quarterback, then I’m not gonna play. If I’m a liability to the team, I mean, no way. But if I think I can win a championship, then I’ll play.”
Brady will have lots of youth to compete with in the coming years. Three rookie quarterbacks started in Week 1 for the second time since 1970 according to NFL.com. His aforementioned list of young talent didn’t include the more veteran 20-something starting quarterbacks such Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott, Josh Allen, Carson Wentz, Sam Darnold, Jared Goff, and Baker Mayfield. Former Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston even showed potential for a career resurgence in New Orleans with five touchdown passes in Week 1.
Young and ‘Old’ QBs Ahead for the Bucs
Tampa will see plenty of the young crop of quarterbacks throughout the season from Winston to Allen.
For now, Brady and the Bucs have one of the few teams with a starting quarterback over 30 in its crosshairs — the Atlanta Falcons. Matt Ryan, 36, couldn’t make much happen against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in a 32-6 loss. Ryan mustered 164 yards passing and no touchdowns.
Tampa’s defense will look to rebound from giving up three touchdown passes and 403 yards passing by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in Week 1.
Brady Sees Promise in Bucs Rookie QB Kyle Trask
Besides the many young quarterbacks around the league, the Bucs have a young one behind Brady in rookie Kyle Trask.
Brady spoke highly of the former Florida standout and second-round draft pick during training camp.
“Kyle’s doing a great job. From the day that he got here he’s a very hard-worker,” Brady said in an August press conference. “Kyle’s out here early, stays late, works with the younger guys. All the things that you’re really looking for in a young player.”
Trask had a solid final showing in the preseason with 146 yards passing and a touchdown at Houston.