Tom Brady went viral this past summer when he said that he felt it was a “tragedy” that teams often force rookie quarterbacks “to play early” before they might be ready.
During a Wednesday appearance on “The Herd With Colin Cowherd,“ Brady touched upon attributes that help young signal-callers achieve success at the highest level.
“There’s no way for me to really see sustained success in the NFL at the quarterback position if you don’t have total control of what’s being done out on the field,” Brady explained, as shared by Tim Crowley of NESN. “If you’re expecting your coach to call a play from the sideline and that play comes into your helmet, you’re going to call it. You’re going to walk to the line of scrimmage and that play’s going to be successful regardless of the defensive look, you’re out of your mind. That’s not the way it works.”
Such comments raise eyebrows in part because it’s no secret that Las Vegas Raiders principal owner Mark Davis wants Brady, who is now a minority owner of the franchise, to assist in the search for a long-term franchise quarterback. For a piece published Thursday, ESPN NFL analysts predicted that the Raiders “will lose out and have the top pick in the 2025 NFL draft.” The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner has linked Las Vegas with Shedeur Sanders of Colorado.
It’s unclear if Davis would follow Brady’s advice and have a to-be rookie such as Sanders sit behind a veteran through at least a portion of the 2025 season. The Raiders currently have journeyman Gardner Minshew on the roster, and Minshew has experience mentoring younger players.
“When I was in college, I ran a pro-style offense. I got drafted and I had Bill Belichick to teach me,” Brady added. “I got to sit behind Drew Bledsoe. I worked really hard to learn all those things and embrace the challenge. I think when you’re a young quarterback, ultimately that’s what you’re trying to do. Be in a situation where you can learn, grow, develop. It’s all about mentorship. It’s all about the people that come into your life.”
The Raiders could soon have a new coaching staff that may or may not welcome Brady’s takes on quarterbacks and other personnel decisions. If nothing else, it could be interesting to see how Brady responds to questions about college signal-callers and the upcoming draft over the next several months.
