A Tampa Bay Buccanneers coach has expressed their sheer joy at how quarterback Tom Brady is performing during the preseason.
You don’t need me to tell you just how many records and accomplishments Tom Brady has managed to put together during his time in the league, both as a member of the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but just in case you forgot, here’s a reminder.
With 97,569 passing yards and 710 touchdowns across the regular and postseason, 7 Super Bowl titles, 5 Super Bowl MVP titles and 3 NFL MVP awards, plus countless other records that would take forever to list, there can be no argument that he is the greatest player to ever play the sport and is one of the greatest athletes of all time across all sports.
However, whilst it might seem as if he has all of the records that anyone could ask for in the NFL, there is one that is still in his sights that is still possible, and that’s becoming the oldest player to ever play a snap in the NFL, having already wrapped up the title of oldest quarterback to ever don a set of pads as he gets set to enter the league at age 45 in 2022.
The current record goes to George Blanda, who was a quarterback by trade, but spent the last few years of his career primarily as a kicker. When it comes to non-kicking players, the record goes to former offensive lineman John Nesser from back in the 1920s.
Not slowing down just yet
Whilst age might seem like it’s something that could hinder a quarterback, not having the arm strength to throw down the field, body feeling the impact of big hits a lot more, being unable to scramble out of plays, Brady has proven in recent years that he’s immune to all of that.
In his two years with the Buccaneers alone, he has passed for over 10,00 yards and thrown for 96 touchdowns in the regular season and playoffs, leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns last season, so it would take a very brave man to bet against him being terrible in 2022.
And they’d be even braver if they did so after hearing comments from one of the Bucs coaches about his preseason performances.
What’s been said?
Speaking to NFL reporter Peter King for his Football Morning In America column, Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen claimed that Brady is throwing the ball better than he has ever seen, saying that Brady is taking on some new techniques when it comes to zipping the ball around.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him throw the football better. It’s remarkable — 45 years old and the ball comes off his hand with such zip, throw after throw. How does that happen with someone who’s 45? It’s like a lot of things about him. It defies common sense. This just hasn’t happened before. What he’s done is incorporate his whole body into his throws. He has trained his arm to be a part of his throwing, not all of it.”
Brady is currently away from the team for what is being classified as ‘personal reasons’, however the physical break that he’ll get as he recovers ahead of the season could well be huge when the games actually start, and now with this message from Christensen, the league has been warned that we’re probably going to end up with the same old Brady in 2022.