Tom Brady is enjoying the first full season of his retirement from the NFL in 2023, though we have still been seeing his face regularly. He hosts the “Let’s Go” podcast with Jim Gray that is released every week, and he has been making other media appearances as well, like the one he made on Stephen A Smith’s show early last week.

Alex Smith Challenges Tom Brady’s Comments On The NFL

Wow: Alex Smith completely disagrees with Tom Brady’ opinion that there is too much mediocrity in today’s #NFL

(via: @awfulannouncing) pic.twitter.com/DQfZau4lQE

— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) November 26, 2023

During the interview with Smith, Brady was asked a question about what he thought about the current state of the NFL. His answer came as somewhat of a surprise and caused a stir throughout the league and in the media:

I don’t see the excellence that I saw in the past. I think the coaching isn’t as good as it was. I don’t think the development of young players is as good as it was. The rules have allowed a lot of bad habits to get into the actual performance of the game. So I just think the product in my opinion is less than what it’s been

The comments come on the heels of a decline in offensive production around the NFL this year. Numbers are down around the league, and much of it can be attributed to lesser quarterback play. Even in the MVP race, there is no QB who is running away with the award, as each has their own share of mistakes or shortcomings.

Smith Cites A Bad Division For Brady

There was some backlash from Brady’s comments throughout the week, but some of the strongest words came from former 49ers and Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, who spoke on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown:

First off, he hasn’t been retired that long. He was just playing. Like he just won a Super Bowl in the current game. Is he discounting that one My biggest complaint with this…He played in the most uncompetitive division I think in NFL history. I mean you come out of training camp, the biggest cupcake division, You got a ticket to the playoffs right away, talk about mediocre.

While Smith’s comments may have some layer of truth to them, the AFC East was often poor because Tom Brady and the Patriots were so dominant. And Smith’s rebuttal doesn’t exactly answer Brady’s comments directly, and seem more like a cheap shot that he’s been waiting to take.