Tom Brady suffered another heavy tackle during game day two of the new NFL season when he was sacked by Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed during a defeat in Florida. It was such a ferocious hit that forced Brady into showing a level of discomfort that would have been a genuine concern to his team and fans.
Although Brady was typically dismissive about any long-term effects from the tackle whilst speaking to the media after the game by saying that he would be alright and “it’s football.”
A special moment between #TomBrady and Patrick Mahomes. #NFL pic.twitter.com/mGnZJgFJxk
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) October 3, 2022
Of course, the legendary quarterback may well be right in his assessment that an immediate return to the starting lineup is a strong possibility. That doesn’t, however, mean that these hits aren’t beginning to take a serious toll on the 45-year-old’s body.
Indeed, it’s worth keeping in mind that Sneed is twenty years Brady’s junior and in the prime of his career. In some ways, you could argue the merits about how wise it is for Brady to still be out there with his 50th birthday within sight but until his own performances drop and the team loses, he is still likely to be picked. At this stage, it’s also worth saying that Brady hasn’t missed a game since joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 with his record currently reading 37 starts in a row. Naturally, this stat makes a compelling case for Brady’s inclusion in the Buccaneers’ starting lineup regardless of his age.
In other words, Brady’s contribution to the Buccaneer’s winning cause is not currently being hampered by his age. Yes, as briefly touched on at the top of the piece, the Florida outfit did lose to the Chiefs by a margin of ten points which would have come as a surprise to many pundits. At least, the NFL spreads at Bodog gave Brady’s team a handicap of -2 before kickoff which meant that punters would make money if the Buccaneers won by more than just two points. Admittedly, the odds were close but the fact that the Chiefs spectacularly defied their spread odds of +2 to win by ten shows what an upset it was.
This defeat, can’t, of course, be entirely placed on Brady’s doorstep and as initially mentioned, the 45-year-old is holding his own in a competitive environment. The point about Brady continuing to play has less to do with the Chiefs stunning win and more to do with the toll on his body as he begins to pick up regular hits from some of the most ruthless athletes in the whole of world sports.
Gotta be better, we’ll be ready to go Sunday. @Buccaneers pic.twitter.com/5bKBFhol9S
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) September 26, 2022
Deciding when to call it a day is naturally Brady’s prerogative and we’ve already seen him U-turn on his initial retirement decision this year.
When all is said and done, the answer on when to do so probably comes down to what type of life the 45-year-old envisions for himself once he does officially hang up his boots. As things stand, it could be an uncomfortable second act for Brady now that he is beginning to feel the full effects of playing in the NFL with players who were born after he made his professional debut.
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