Is the NFL getting ‘too soft?’ Tom Brady thinks so and Rob Gronkowski kind of agrees
One part cheeky jab and one part valid. The four-time Super Bowl winner had an interesting response to his former teammate’s comments about the NFL.
The seven-time Super Bowl winner recently had some interesting things to say about the league that made him a household name, something which one of his most productive former teammates and friends, appears to have taken issue with. What’s more, is that he offered some food for thought.
What did Tom Brady say about the NFL?
Earlier this week, Tom Brady offered his thoughts on the current state of the NFL during the latest episode of his “Let’s Go” podcast, and it would be fair to say that he didn’t give a resounding endorsement. Indeed, Brady actually seemed to imply that the league is now too soft. “Football is a physical sport, there’s a physical element to all of this,” Brady said. “You throw a 15-yard flag for something that, you know, 20 years ago maybe wouldn’t have had a flag. That affects the game in a big way.”
For the purpose of context, it should be said that the NFL is currently considering the elimination of the hip-drop tackle. Such a move would understandably make it more complicated for defenders. Brady continued with a somewhat dark allusion to what he believes is football’s future.” There’s so many people that want it less and less physical, it’s more like flag football, which is going to be in the Olympics in 2028,” Brady said. “Maybe football goes to flag football over a period of time.”
Rob Gronkowski raises a good point
As a former teammate of Brady’s on two Super Bowl-winning teams, Rob Gronkowski has had a fairly good look at the now-retired quarterback. To that end, his opinion when asked about Brady’s comments during an appearance on the “Up and Adams” makes for some interesting listening. Gronkowski admitted that it was puzzling to him that Brady would complain about calls getting softer when he directly benefitted from such calls on many occasions. “I mean, it was already flag football for you, brother,” Gronkowski said. “Some of those calls for you last year, they barely touched you, especially the call with the Atlanta Falcons. They were getting a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty.”
Truthfully, who could forget that now infamous play when Brady was sacked for a loss by the Falcons’ Grady Jarrett, only to get the luxury of a first down awarded by the official after the play was flagged for roughing the passer? Further compounding the issue, was the fact that the resulting call allowed the Bucs to run out the clock as they secured a 21-15 win. “All the rules go in your favor, Tom,” Gronkowski said. “You’re not playing anymore, that’s why you’re saying that.”
Yet, Gronkowski did concede some ground to his former teammate in that he does agree that things have changed and not necessarily for the best. “It’s getting too soft,” he said, before addressing the the situation surrounding hip-drop tackles specifically. “I just think it’s making the game more soft,” Gronk said. “You barely see it and if a guy is in that position and that’s the only way you can take someone down, then you got to do it. ...The NFL is just getting too soft now.” Whether the league is or isn’t getting ‘too soft’ is clearly up for debate, perhaps the better place to focus is on player safety. As we’ve seen with the situation surrounding concussions and CTE, the NFL hasn’t always put the well-being of players at the forefront. Could this be a change in stance? Is this simply a fight between a purist and a progressive stance? Questions worth answering.