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In a recent episode of his podcast “Let’s Go,” legendary quarterback Tom Brady didn’t hold back as he shared his thoughts on the current state of NFL officiating.
Watching games as a spectator for the first this season since before his rookie season in 2000, Brady expressed his concerns about the increasing lack of physicality on the field.
According to Brady, the NFL seems to be moving towards a style of play that resembles flag football, a sentiment he finds troubling.
Brady: “There’s so many people that want it less and less physical, it’s more like flag football.”
He pointed out that there is a growing trend where penalties are being called for actions that might not have been penalized in the past, changing the dynamics of the game significantly.
During his podcast, Brady emphasized the physical nature of football and how penalties, which were once rare for certain actions, are now affecting the flow of the game.
“Football is a physical sport, there’s a physical element to all of this,” The 7-time Super Bowl champion 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.”
Interestingly, Brady mentioned that flag football, a less physically intense version of the game, is set to be featured in the Olympics in 2028. This led him to ponder whether football, too, might eventually transition to a flag football format over time.
A noteworthy aspect is that Brady, now a retired player, cannot be fined for his remarks since he is no longer an active participant in the NFL.
It’s refreshing to see Brady openly share his opinions now. He obviously had to hold back before.