Ex-Bucs quarterback Tom Brady sounds off on 'tragedy' befalling rookie quarterbacks

Ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is sounding off on the pressures of being a rookie quarterback. Brady said that it used to be that a rookie quarterback was not the starter in his first NFL season.  Learning the game and development as a player and teammate were prioritized.

He used his own experience of being low on the depth charts at both Michigan and New England.  During those times when he was the low man on the totem pole, he studied and learned the game.

Brady hints that rookie quarterbacks are almost set up for failure if they do not succeed quickly.  He also said that NFL coaches used to have the time to work on nuances of the game to be better than the opponent.  That does not happen anymore with a 'win-now' mentality. As Brady says, the game is "dumbed-down" to meet the young players where they are in their development instead of working with them individually to develop them more and ultimately make them better players.

There are plenty of recent examples that support Brady's assertion.  Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Mac Jones, and Zach Wilson became starting quarterbacks immediately upon joining the NFL. In 2024, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels are the latest duo to hit the ground running as QB1s.

It may be that some rookie quarterbacks are destined to be backups, but the current culture of the NFL does not devote the time to figure out where these players truly fit on their teams.