In a recent appearance on the Stephen A. Smith Show, legendary quarterback Tom Brady didn’t mince words when expressing his thoughts on the current state of 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 remarked. “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.”
Brady’s bold statements resonated with some, including veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who echoed similar sentiments.
“The rule changes have created a lot of bad habits..
Is it better in certain areas for player safety 100% but have we gone too far in other areas 100%..
It’s very difficult to play defense in the league right now & there has to be a happy medium somewhere” ~ @AaronRodgers12 pic.twitter.com/qQtHCR4SuQ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 21, 2023
However, not everyone in the NFL world agreed with Brady’s assessment.
Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith took a different stance, challenging Brady’s perspective.
During yesterday’s segment on “NFL Countdown,” Smith addressed Brady’s comments with a counterargument.
“My biggest complaint to this, and no offense to the three of you guys,” Smith began, referring to panelists Randy Moss, Teddy Bruschi, and Rex Ryan.
“He played in the most uncompetitive division in NFL history. 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. I completely disagree with this,” Smith asserted.
He went on to emphasize the increased parity across the league, the high level of quarterback play, and the evolution of defensive linemen in today’s game.
Smith found it contradictory that Brady, who won the 2021 Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, criticized the current state of the NFL.
“Listen, I love Tom. The GOAT. But first off, he hasn’t been retired that long. He was just playing. He just won a Super Bowl in the current game. Are we discounting that one?” Smith questioned.
Alex Smith just made excellent points about Tom Brady’s “the NFL is worse” take while side-swiping two former Patriots and accidentally obliterating a former head coach of the Jets AND Bills. Immaculate television. pic.twitter.com/WsCBx9Y58b
— Joshua Brisco (@jbbrisco) November 26, 2023
Alex Smith had a notable 16-season career in the NFL, playing for the Chiefs, 49ers, and Washington Football Team.
Over his career, he achieved impressive stats, including 35,650 passing yards, 199 touchdowns, and a completion percentage of 62.6%.
Smith also had 109 interceptions and a passer rating of 86.9. He earned three Pro Bowl selections, won the Comeback Player of the Year award, and led the Chiefs to an 11-game winning streak in 2015.
Additionally, he guided the Chiefs to their first playoff win since 1994 in the same year and led the NFL in passer rating in 2017.
Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft, Smith initially struggled with consistency and injuries until 2011.
While, Tom Brady enjoyed a remarkable 23-season career. Playing primarily with the New England Patriots for 20 seasons before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, Brady achieved numerous milestones and set records.
His seven Super Bowl victories stand as the most by any player or franchise, with five Super Bowl MVP awards.
Brady was selected to the Pro Bowl 15 times, earning the honor more than any other player.
Additionally, he received three 1st-Team All-Pro selections and won the AP MVP award three times over the course of his career.
One of Brady’s most remarkable achievements is being the sole player in NFL history to reach 600 career touchdown passes.
His two-decade-long tenure with the Patriots also set a record for the most seasons played by an NFL quarterback with a single franchise.
In March 2020, Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he continued to excel before retiring at the end of the 2022 season.
