Breaking News:Tom Brady sends big warning to Drake Maye and new Patriots coaching staff in passionate rant…See more

The NFL has changed a lot since the turn of the millennium. With every passing season, players are becoming more athletic and faster, with the sport placing more of an emphasis on the passing game than ever before.

But despite the abandonment of offenses centered around traditional ground and pound running games, teams haven’t been lighting up the scoreboards over the last two seasons. The main reason for that has been a drop-off in quarterback play. With legends like Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger hanging up the cleats, the league has been starving for young quarterbacks to shine, but that hasn’t quite been the case yet.

In a recent appearance with Stephen A. Smith, Brady spoke about that topic and went on a passionate rant about rookie quarterbacks being forced into action when they’re not ready.

You’re no longer learning a program, you’re learning a playbook. Like at Michigan, for me, that was a pro-style program. 5 years I got to learn how to drop back pass, to read defenses, to read coverages, to be coached… Then I went to New England and I was developed by Coach Belichick and the offensive staff there. I didn’t start my first year. I think it’s just a tragedy that we’re forcing these rookies to play early, but the reality is the only reason why they are is because we’ve dumbed the game down, which has allowed them to play.

.@TomBrady on the tragedy that is being forced on rookie QBs in today’s NFL pic.twitter.com/IReSLdYL1R

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) August 19, 2024

Brady wasn’t talking about any team or player in particular, but his comments are of note to the New England Patriots. Drake Maye was drafted 3rd overall in April and is slated to be their new franchise quarterback. He has looked very good in the preseason and fans are calling for him to start immediately.

But Maye was considered a prospect in need of development coming out of North Carolina, where he started for just two seasons. About to turn 22 years old, Maye could benefit from Brady’s idea of a long development process, but the current NFL philosophy is to throw the young quarterbacks out there to learn on the go.