Tom Brady rips current state of NFL, explains major loopholes for 'mediocrity' in league: "Product is less than what it's been"

Retired NFL superstar Tom Brady is unhappy with the state of the NFL. The seven-time Super Bowl champion ripped into the league's state, during an appearance on the Stephen A. Smith show.

Brady called out coaches for their lackluster effort in teaching players on offense to protect themselves from vicious hits and living at the mercy of referees:

"I think there's a lot of mediocrity in today's NFL, I don't see the excellence that I saw in the past.

"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 also called out the players, claiming they are developing bad habits:

"I think 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."

Criticism about defensive players being flagged for innocuous players is not something new. However, it carries more weight when it comes from the greatest in league history.

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Tom Brady criticizes current NFL QBs, demands they protect receivers

Tom Brady (left) and Ray Lewis

Tom Brady's explosive criticism wasn't limited to the rules and receivers. He also called out quarterbacks for throwing dangerous passes.

He explained how he avoided throwing passes in the middle of the field when playing against retired Baltimore Ravens superstar Ray Lewis to protect his receivers from taking vicious hits that could cause severe damage:

"I didn't throw the ball to certain areas because I thought players were going to get knocked out.

"That's the reality. I didn't throw it to the middle when I played against Ray Lewis because he'd knock them out of the game, and I couldn't afford to lose a good player."

Brady was particularly miffed about the NFL's rules putting the onus on defensive players to ensure that they don't hit offensive players with any potentially dangerous tackle that could lead to injuries.

The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback said that it's up to the offensive players to learn the fundamentals and learn to protect themselves from hits after catching a pass. He also torched the coaches for not investing time in helping younger players learn the ropes.

Tom Brady is scheduled to start as Fox Sports' lead NFL analyst at the start of the 2024 season. If it was a trailer of his analysis, expect fireworks on a weekly basis when he starts full-time in a few months.