Hall of Fame quarterback and analyst Tom Brady adressed the league's new safety rules and how it could possitively impact mobile quarterbacks throughout the 2025 campaign. After Brady admitted to struggling in his first season, the second-year NFL analyst addressed how a new rule gives mobile QBs added protection but could hurt them in the long run.
Brady explained how the new rule impacts mobile QBs, per Pro Football Focus' Cris Collinsworth.
“With the rule changes in the NFL that have essentially taken away forcible contract to a ball carrier, certainly a quarterback, outside the pocket, even though the quarterback can protect himself,” Brady said. “We’ve now forced a very passive defense. So now the quarterback can run basically unabated anywhere he wants on the field and has tremendous protection.”
For Brady, this is a tremendous advantage for offensive coordinators across the NFL.
“So now, because of that, offensive coordinators now have those plays in their playbook and they’re running them more then they’ve ever run them before,” Brady added. “And it’s forcing a smaller defensive player to try to track that player down.”
However, the rule will impact a QB's longevity.
“Do I think that’s good for the longevity of a quarterback? I think it’s terrible for the longevity of a quarterback. Do I think it’s exciting? It’s certainly very exciting, and it’s fun to watch,” Brady said. “But a beautiful drop back by a quarterback to rip a 12-yard out cut to the field, I think that’s incredible.”
The short-term benefits will be felt.
“For a quarterback to run for 12 yards, it looks incredible,” Brady adds. “So, I think some ways throwing a ball for a 20 yard game is much easier than running for a 20 yard gain, but a 20 yard gain on the ground, by a quarterback running looks incredible.”
Tom Brady acknowledges growing pains in his first season
As his first season in the NFL, Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady had to adapt into his new role as a broadcaster. After the Patriots unveiled a Brady statue this summer, the seven-time Super Bowl champion talked about his newest career.
Brady discussed his first season as a broadcaster, per The Joel Klatt Show.
“I thought I was prepared, because I had done a lot of research and I had, you know, a year to kind of prepare and a lot of practice games, but there was absolutely nothing that I did that could really prepare me for what I was about to endure,” Brady said. “And there were a lot of growing pains throughout the year for me.”
Even after preparation, Brady found himself still making mistakes on-air, which he's still learning from.
