If you watched the first Monday night playoff game in history last night, you saw the end of one man’s career — Tom Brady. When I was a much younger man the first thing I learned about Florida was that it was the state where old, white men went to die. A 45-year-old man ended his football life on a field in Tampa Bay.
A Losing Record and a Playoff Berth
Tom Brady’s Buccaneers won the NFC South with a record of eight wins and nine losses. They should never have been included in the playoffs. It seems unfair that teams with winning records were excluded, and a team of losers was rewarded for their sub-standard efforts.
Brady Retired Until He Didn’t
Previously, Brady retired on February 1, 2022. Then he broke a promise to his wife and children and decided to play a child’s game for another year. This resulted in a divorce and his loss of all respect from many of the fans. The NFL has moved past his time. The players are faster and more talented, and Brady cannot compete in 2022/2023.
Professional Football is a Different Game in 2023
I began watching the NFL around 1956. Since then, I have been privileged to watch most of the greatest players in professional football and all 56 Super Bowls. I admit that I have switched channels for several of them, but others were iconic.
In 2008 the New England Patriots were 18-0 going into the Super Bowl. They lost to the New York Giants. This must be included in the legacy of Tom Brady. Last night’s pitiful performance was sad and an embarrassing way to end such a successful career. Brady faced a shutout until the third quarter when the Cowboy’s defense relaxed, their team holding a 24-0 lead.
The Dallas Cowboys are not a Great Team
I would be remiss if I did not offer the truth that the Cowboys displayed the fact that they are far from being a great team. They allowed two touchdowns near the end of the game and a successful onside kick, proving that they are not a challenger for the Super Bowl in February.
Brady must admit that his time is past. However, the Cowboys proved several times in 2022 that when faced with a legitimate challenge, they will fail. They will face a truly professional team next week, the San Francisco 49ers, and likely experience the same embarrassment they forced on Tampa Bay. The truth is that this contest was between two teams unworthy of being in the 2023 playoffs.
A Game Unrecognizable Today
The NFL I watched throughout most of my life has evolved. The game I watched in the 1950s and 60s would be unrecognizable for younger fans today. It was brutal. Quarterbacks were football players, unprotected without the rules which exist today. Stamina was of greater importance. Many of the best players were on the field when their teams were on offense or defense.
The biggest changes have come at the quarterback position. Until the age of electronics began in the 1980s, quarterbacks called their own plays, including audibles at the line of scrimmage after assessing the defense. Today, offensive coordinators sit in quiet booths high above the field making decisions for their quarterbacks. Quarterbacks receive the play from speakers installed inside their helmets. When they are physically assaulted by the defense, it is against the rules to make contact with any part of their head, and anywhere below the knees, and a player leading the assault with his helmet will be charged with a personal foul.
To the Football Media: ‘Get Over Brady’
Last night’s pregame show was dominated by effusive praise for Brady. It is ludicrous to call him the “GOAT.” He never would have survived the game in the 1960s. He has a terrific arm, but when not protected in the pocket, he is no more than an average QB, and he proved that last night. No man should be on a professional football field at the age of 45, regardless of his physical condition. Last evening Brady displayed slow movement and was constantly hurried by the Dallas defense.
Brady said goodbye to his family in March of 2022. It’s time for him to say goodbye to the game today.
Op-ed by James Turnage
Find my novels on Amazon’s Kindle
Sources:
NPR: Tom Brady is coming out of NFL retirement and will return to the Bucs
ESPN: Prescott outshines Brady, Cowboys dominate Buccaneers 31-14
USA Today: ‘You never say never’: Tom Brady addresses possibility of coming out of retirement
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Karla Hall‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Discover more from Guardian Liberty Voice
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.