Tom Brady, 22 years into an NFL career that began during the Clinton administration, thinks the league has finally gone soft.

The 44-year-old Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback and reigning Super Bowl MVP says penalties are being called too frequently on defensive players in an effort to protect quarterbacks. 

‘I think there’s a lot of plays and hits that are happening on quarterbacks now that are flags for defensive players that probably weren’t that way 10 or 15 years ago,’ Brady told longtime sports anchor and sideline reporter Jim Gray on a podcast earlier this week. ‘So I’d say the game is a little softer than it used to be.’  

Bucs QB Tom Brady complained to podcast host Jim Gray that the NFL is softer these days

Bucs QB Tom Brady complained to podcast host Jim Gray that the NFL is softer these days

Bucs QB Tom Brady complained to podcast host Jim Gray that the NFL is softer these days

Brady and podcast host Jim Gray were Sunday night's quarterback matchup between the Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson and Brady's Super Bowl LV counterpart, Patrick Mahomes (center) of the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady was largely complimentary of the pair's performance in the thrilling 36-35 Ravens victory. But while he praised their ability to run with the football — something he was famously too slow to do effectively — he explained that Jackson and Mahomes are putting themselves at a higher risk of injury

Brady and podcast host Jim Gray were Sunday night's quarterback matchup between the Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson and Brady's Super Bowl LV counterpart, Patrick Mahomes (center) of the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady was largely complimentary of the pair's performance in the thrilling 36-35 Ravens victory. But while he praised their ability to run with the football — something he was famously too slow to do effectively — he explained that Jackson and Mahomes are putting themselves at a higher risk of injury

Brady and podcast host Jim Gray were Sunday night’s quarterback matchup between the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and Brady’s Super Bowl LV counterpart, Patrick Mahomes (center) of the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady was largely complimentary of the pair’s performance in the thrilling 36-35 Ravens victory. But while he praised their ability to run with the football — something he was famously too slow to do effectively — he explained that Jackson and Mahomes are putting themselves at a higher risk of injury

Brady has rushed the ball 637 times over 303 regular season games, while the 24-year-old Lamar Jackson (center) has nearly matched that mark with 510 runs in just 48 appearances

Brady has rushed the ball 637 times over 303 regular season games, while the 24-year-old Lamar Jackson (center) has nearly matched that mark with 510 runs in just 48 appearances

Brady has rushed the ball 637 times over 303 regular season games, while the 24-year-old Lamar Jackson (center) has nearly matched that mark with 510 runs in just 48 appearances

Gray and Brady were discussing Sunday night’s quarterback matchup between the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and Brady’s Super Bowl LV counterpart, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Brady was largely complimentary of the pair’s performance in the thrilling 36-35 Ravens victory. But while he praised their ability to run with the football — something he was famously too slow to do effectively — he explained that Jackson and Mahomes are putting themselves at a higher risk of injury.

For comparison, Brady has rushed the ball 637 times over 303 regular season games, while the 24-year-old Jackson has nearly matched that mark with 510 runs in just 48 appearances. 

‘So there’s definitely more volatility, I would say, in that style of play over a period of time, you’re definitely more injury prone because you’re out of the pocket,’ Brady said. ‘You don’t have the types of protection that you typically have in the pocket.

‘And I would say the one thing that’s probably changed over the years in terms of why it’s probably gone a little more this way is — I’ve alluded to this in the past — I think they’re calling more penalties on defensive players for hitting, for violent contact.

‘I think the defensive players are more on the defensive when they go into tackle. And I think that’s probably adding to this element of quarterbacks outside the pocket and taking more chances than they did in the past.’

The league has adjusted rules and re-emphasized others in recent years to reduce head-to-head collisions. Specifically, tacklers are prohibited from lowering their helmets and making contact with an opponent’s helmet.

But while quarterbacks may be better protected, defenders have struggled to navigate the revised implementation of the rulebook as ‘roughing the passer’ penalties have spiked in recent seasons. (‘Roughing the passer’ is called when a defensive player hits a quarterback after a forward pass has been released) 

When Brady first entered the NFL in 2000, there were only 75 such penalties for the entire year. That figure dropped as low as 58 in 2008, but over the last three seasons, the NFL has averaged 123.3 ‘roughing the passer’ flags.

Quarterbacks like Arizona's Kyler Murray (left) have thrived under modern NFL officiating

Quarterbacks like Arizona's Kyler Murray (left) have thrived under modern NFL officiating

Quarterbacks like Arizona’s Kyler Murray (left) have thrived under modern NFL officiating 

Source: Daily Mail

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