Tom Brady has apparently entered his “back in my day” era.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion is questioning NFL players who choose to sit out preseason games. And if there is one person who can make a preseason lecture sound like a championship speech, it is Brady.
The former New England Patriots quarterback shared his thoughts on Instagram while reacting to an old video from his playing days. The clip showed Brady playing deep into a 2010 preseason game.
Yes, Tom Brady was out there playing preseason football, and apparently, he wants everyone to remember it.
Brady’s message has sparked a debate about how much players should participate in exhibition games. Some players and teams prefer to protect their biggest stars, others believe preseason reps are important for preparation.
Brady clearly seems to belong in the second group.
Brady made his position clear in the post. “Preseason… Regular season… I never wanted to be taken off the field,” he wrote.
“Practice makes perfect,” Brady added. “Too many people looking for easy ways out these days.”
The former quarterback then offered a broader message about playing during the football season. “When you’re a football player, and it’s football season, your job is to play football,” Brady wrote.
The preseason has changed significantly since Brady’s early years. Teams are more cautious with veteran stars. Coaches often limit snaps for established players and some starters barely see the field.
Brady’s old footage provides a perfect example of how things used to work.
Back then, seeing a star quarterback playing well into a preseason game was not exactly shocking. Today, fans might celebrate simply because their starting quarterback completed a warm-up throw without getting hurt.
Football has changed, but Brady, however, remains Brady.
Asking today’s players to follow the exact same routine from 2010 is a little like asking everyone to use a flip phone because it worked perfectly well.
