Tom Brady feels NFL quarterbacking has taken a step backward

He is the greatest of all time, but it will be interesting to see how FOX's new No. 1 analyst uses his new platform. Tom Brady is now well over a year removed from his last game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The seven-time Super Bowl champion just had his No. 12 jersey retired by the New England Patriots. Ahead of such a momentous occasion, Brady gave us an old man yelling at clouds energy of a quote.

Brady told Yahoo Sports that he feels quarterback play in the NFL has regressed in recent years. In some ways, it sure has, but in others, I vehemently disagree. What I will say is that quarterbacks coming into the league have had more reps throwing the football than ever before. However, Brady might be right in that a lot of what the NFL is getting from college does not have any staying power.

To me, the first half of this quote suggests that spread offense have hurt quarterback development.

“I think the quarterbacking has gone backwards a little bit in the NFL. I don’t think it’s improved. I don’t think the teaching’s improved. I think maybe the physical fundamentals might be a little bit improved because there’s better information out there for quarterbacks to study on mechanics. But I don’t think quarterbacks really are really field generals right now like they used to be."

The second part only further backs my assessment in that college kids cannot do much pre-snap.

"It’s a broad statement, certainly. But I had total control. I had all the tools I needed. I was coached that way. I was developed to have the tools that I needed to go on the field so that whenever something came up, I had the right play, the right formation, the right audible, the right check at the line — to ultimately take control of the 11 guys on offense and get us into a good, positive play.”

What is it going to take for quarterback play to be as good as it ever was in the NFL once again?

Tom Brady is longing for improved quarterback play, akin to yesteryear

Where I think quarterback play has improved is in the physical development and the mechanical side of things. Brady was 100 percent right to identify those areas as such. Where he may have missed the mark is quarterbacks are more accurate than ever, and oftentimes, the running game is just as critical to offensive success as it is standing upright from a clean pocket and carving up the defense.

As far as where Brady is completely correct in his take is that we are just not getting the type of player coming out of college who can do much of anything pre-snap. Many guys have never taken a snap under center. Not only do they have to put their hand under a full-grown man's behind for the first time in their life, but they must adjust to running play-action without being able to look downfield.

I feel like the lack of verbose play-calling and audibling at the line of scrimmage has been to the detriment of young quarterbacks entering the league. They don't have the reps to win the game in between snaps like Brady did for decades. It is a major contributing factor why more and more first-rounders are busting left and right. This is an epidemic the NFL has on its hands and needs to rectify.

Overall, I think the best thing that can happen for Brady in his budding broadcasting career is to sit down with head coaches and offensive coordinators during production meetings and try to figure this out. He may be able to help the viewer at home have a better understanding of what good quarterback play really looks like, as opposed to the slop we have been seeing masquerading as it.

All I know is the NFL can only work with what the college game provides it. Something has to give...