Tom Brady speaking about quarterbacks getting an excessive amount of safety within the fashionable NFL? That’s attention-grabbing.
Why? Oh, no motive… apart from the truth that one might make a sound argument that the principles within the NFL that defend quarterbacks are in place as a result of Tom Brady wanted to be protected. The previous New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneer actually benefited from plenty of the rule modifications that mainly made taking part in protection inconceivable.
And who might overlook that ol’ “Landing Tom” was on the middle of one of the crucial controversial rulings within the historical past of the Nationwide Soccer League?
The “Tuck Rule” brought on outrage even earlier than social media was a factor. When you’ve by no means heard of it, most think about the decision that benefited Tom Brady and the New England Patriots a catalyst to the start of their dynasty. Lengthy story brief, Brady fumbled the soccer within the playoffs towards the Raiders, however the guidelines of the NFL decided that he was attempting to “tuck the ball” again to his physique, and it was referred to as an incomplete cross as a substitute of a fumble.
Right here’s a video of it:
“The Tuck Rule Sport.”
The ruling: an incomplete cross.
The consequence: the beginning of a legendary run of postseason success. (2001 Divisional: Jan. 19, 2002) @Patriots pic.twitter.com/skVvwaLWTJ
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) January 9, 2019
Invoice Belichick, Tom Brady, and the Patriots went on to win the primary of their many Tremendous Bowls that postseason. Shoutout to the Tuck Rule (which was faraway from the NFL’s rulebook in 2013).
However anyhow, again to the matter at hand, which is that post-football-career Tom Brady loves speaking about how comfortable the NFL has gotten lately. One of many issues that actually grinds Tom’s gears is how offensive gamers are protected, and defensive gamers simply should take care of it.
That’s been on full show as of late, with guidelines defending quarterbacks being hit (the dreaded “roughing the passer” or “pointless roughness” penalties) making the sport borderline unwatchable. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been accused of utilizing a few of these guidelines to his benefit, like slowing down earlier than he goes out of bounds to try to draw late hit flags.
Or sliding late, making two defensive gamers hit one another, and someway nonetheless getting the decision:
Legitimately have seen all of it…
Mahomes slides late, hardly will get touched as each Texans gamers hit one another & they’re flagged for pointless roughness.
Be much less blatant @NFL. It’s insufferable. pic.twitter.com/pXIDrXwGOK
— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) January 18, 2025
Merely outrageous.
Tom Brady was a visitor on Colin Cowherd’s present The Herd earlier at this time, and the present host requested the previous quarterback what he considered Patrick Mahomes’ newest antics and the protections that quarterbacks are given. Brady proceeded to tear into Mahomes with out truly ever mentioning him immediately:
“There’s a side that I don’t like about a few of these defensive guidelines. I believe I’ve been fairly outspoken not simply on broadcast however simply usually over the past bunch of years. Earlier than a quarterback is out of bounds, you hit them and it’s… the fact for me is that offensive gamers want to guard themselves.
In the event that they’re working full pace and the defenders are developing, the one technique to flip the ball over is to create pressure. You’re not going to blow on the soccer and knock it out of the quarterback’s arms. You gotta go in there with pressure and knock it out. There’s an aggressiveness to doing that.”
Gotta agree with Tom on that one.
Brady went on to say that he believes it’s okay for quarterbacks to be protected, however as soon as they get out of the pocket, these protections ought to stop to exist. To be trustworthy, I really like the thought, particularly with how he defined that NFL coaches are calling increasingly QB designed runs within the fashionable sport:
“When quarterbacks turn out to be working backs and so they’re out of the pocket, they need to lose their safety. In essence, we’re attempting to guard the quarterbacks, however coaches are calling extra quarterback runs than ever within the historical past of the sport. So who’s defending the quarterbacks? The referees ought to do it?
In case you are working with the ball, it’s best to defend your self. When you don’t wish to get hit, you’ll be able to go down. You possibly can exit of bounds. However you’ll be able to’t have the defensive participant are available in at half pace after which (the quarterback) run over the defensive participant as a result of he’s afraid of getting a penalty.”
Yeah he’s definitely calling out Mahomes.
Brady caught the touchdown by mainly directing a name to motion in direction of the NFL. There are plenty of NFL followers on the market that most likely don’t like Tom Brady (as a result of he ripped out the remainder of the NFL’s coronary heart for thus a few years), however I’d say most followers would agree with him right here:
“It’s a disservice to the sport and it’s one thing that I’d hope folks would actually handle and say, not that anybody is attempting to reap the benefits of the principles, however they’ve simply gotten to a degree the place it does affect their high quality of the sport… that must be significantly checked out.”
“The fact for me is offensive gamers want to guard themselves.”@TomBrady discusses controversial private foul calls on Patrick Mahomes pic.twitter.com/Wua4d6CtGP
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) January 22, 2025
