Tom Brady calls out Patrick Mahomes, explains why he was never soft

Today’s NFL has been a controversial subject among fans for way too long. Some believe it’s a watered-down product, while others think the new rules make it more appealing and exciting to watch.

Notably, Tom Brady has already admitted that he’s not much of a fan of the way the game is officiated right now. Moreover, he believes quarterbacks should take care of themselves and their teammates, instead of being protected by the rules.

With that in mind, he even criticized Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes for not throwing the ball away, adding that there’s no better way to protect yourself as a quarterback:

“There was a hit on Patrick Mahomes last night where he was running out of bounds where he wasn’t even out of bounds,” Brady said on the Let’s Go! Podcast. “Quarterbacks need to learn how to throw the ball away. [QBs] need to learn how to read defenses so that they can get the ball out of their hands. I always felt like my best protection was getting rid of the ball.”

Brady, Taylor Debate Today’s Rules

Brady hosted defensive legend Lawrence Taylor on his podcast and talked about how even a player like him — who’s widely recognized as the greatest defensive player of all time — wouldn’t be able to make an impact in today’s game.

“I really don’t like the way that it’s gone,“Brady said, “because every time you (Lawrence Taylor) would have hit the quarterback, there would have been a flag. The reality is defenses should be aggressive.“

Taylor acknowledged that Brady was right on point with that assessment. And while he did mock him for benefiting from the new rules, he admitted that he wouldn’t be suited to play in today’s era of defense:

“I would get thrown out,” the New York Giants legend bluntly acknowledged. “It would be hard for me to play. By the end of the season, I would be owing them money.”

Brady Had To Be Strong

Brady lived the entire transition. He played for over two decades, so he had to thrive in the physical era before being overly protected by today’s pass-happy rules. Regardless of the case, he was never going to show any signs of weakness:

“Everyone thinks I was a p***y out there,” Brady said. “I took every single (hit) and got my a** up. I never wanted a defensive player saying, ‘I knocked the s*** out of him, and he didn’t get up,’ so I made sure I got up.”

At the end of the day, football is the most physical sport out there, so it’s only normal to see the league taking steps to secure and enhance player safety, especially considering the countless cases of CTE and major injuries we’ve seen over the years.

Some may or may not like that, and it’s a fact that they’re making it almost impossible for defensive players to do their job. But if that translates into fewer life-threatening injuries or critical hits, so be it.