Tom Brady has seemingly dismissed fears over CTE in the NFL and criticized the sport’s rule makers for taking steps to try and minimize brutal hits on players.
The NFL has tried to reduce the amount of blows players take to the head in recent years amid growing concerns and awareness around concussions and CTE.
The degenerative brain condition CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is often found in athletes who have suffered from head trauma during their careers.
The NFL has implemented position-specific helmets, guardian caps and assesses targeting and unnecessary roughness calls with greater scrutiny to protect players. A change to the kickoff rule has also been made to eliminate dangers, full-speed collisions between players.
But Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl winner, appears to be unhappy that NFL chiefs have gone to such lengths to lower the threat of injury at the cost of the sport’s intensity.
‘People are being really conscious about head injuries,’ the former New England Patriots quarterback said during an appearance on The Overlap, which is sponsored by Sky Bet.
Tom Brady has seemingly dismissed CTE fears and criticized the NFL for trying to make it safer
Brady questioned whether rule makers have gone too far in changing the game’s intensity
Brady’s ex-wife Gisele Bundchen revealed he suffered a number of concussions in his career
‘It’s not my favorite thing to talk about, part of what you sign up for as an athlete is that you’re willing to take more risks than what other people are willing to take.
‘Nobody wants to see people get injured but I think we should actually get better at taking care of people.
‘Why don’t we focus our attention on how to get people recovered better? Why are we still archaic about that but change the rules to lessen the contact?
‘Contact is a big part of the game, and there is still a lot of contact in the sport, but we’ve lessened it by about 25/30 per cent.’
In May 2017, Brady’s ex-wife Gisele Bundchen revealed he had suffered a number of concussions during his career, including in the Super Bowl he played in just months before.
‘He had a concussion last year. He has concussions pretty much every… I mean, we don’t talk about it. He does have concussions,’ the Brazilian model said on CBS’s This Morning.
‘I don’t really think it’s a healthy thing for a body to go through that kind of aggression all the time. That could not be healthy for you.’
Brady, who eventually retired in February 2023, admitted at the time that Gisele wanted him to walk away from the sport earlier than he did.
He said: ‘If it was up to my wife, she would have me retire today. She told me that last night three times.’ They eventually divorced in October 2022.
Bundchen added in the CBS interview: ‘I’m planning on having him be healthy and do a lot of fun things when we’re like 100, I hope.’
Brady was spotted greeting Neymar Jr at Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco last week
The NFL legend also joined rapper Travis Scott on the sidelines ahead of the game at MetLife
He and daughter Vivian, 15, were captured earing matching blue Brazil jerseys in the stands
Brady is a health fanatic and his strict diet and gruelling workout regime allows him to stay in peak physical condition at the age of 48.
He was speaking on the podcast, sponsored by SkyBet, with soccer legends Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Ian Wright in New York City.
Last week, the former quarterback rubbed shoulders with soccer royalty at Brazil’s World Cup clash against Morocco.
He was at MetLife Stadium, which will also host the final of the soccer extravaganza, to watch the showdown.
Brady, who is used to being in the broadcast booth at the stadium which is home to the NFL’s New York Jets and Giants, was given VIP access as he graced the sidelines before kickoff.
The Fox analyst was spotted greeting another football legend as he embraced Brazil superstar Neymar during the team’s warmups.
Brady was captured standing alongside rapper Travis Scott, who sported a vintage Brazil jersey for the occasion.
He was later spotted in the stands alongside his 13-year-old daughter Vivian with the pair wearing matching blue Brazil jerseys.
They showed off their adorable father-daughter bond as they performed a heartwarming handshake.
The retired NFL star is no stranger to soccer, having owned a stake in English Championship side Birmingham City since August 2023.
Brady is frequently spotted in the stands at St. Andrews to cheer on his team and even featured in an Amazon Prime documentary about his ownership last year.
He has also been closely linked to the World Cup, participating in the draw for the tournament last December.