Tom Brady.
Sam Hode/Getty ImagesTom Brady offered his unique perspective on the illegal hit that rattled the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrencesaying he had “mixed emotions” about the controversial incident.
“Quarterbacks need to take better care of themselves,” Brady, 47, said on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at The Herd with Colin Coward.
The former Patriots legend continued, “When you run, you put yourself in a lot of danger. When you do that, I don’t think the onus of protecting an offensive quarterback running back should be on a defensive player. I don’t think that’s really fair to the defense.”
Lawrence, 25, was slid to the ground when struck by the Houston Texans quarterback Aziz al-Shair on Sunday, December 1. Al-Shaair, 27, was suspended for three matches for the hit on Tuesday, December 3rd. Lawrence was carted off the field and later diagnosed with a concussion.
NFL coaches and players – both past and present – offered their reactions to the illegal hit by Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The play in question occurred on Sunday, Dec. 1, when Lawrence, 25, was hit in the head by Houston Texans linebacker Azez Al-Shair as the Jaguars star was sliding toward (…)
“Nobody wants to see anybody get hurt, but that’s the reality of a very physical sport that we play,” Brady said. “Defensive players have to be aggressive. That’s their nature. I always try to be aggressive in attack. We tried to block aggressively. At the same time, the defense tries to tackle aggressively.
Brady, who officially retires in February 2023. after a 23-season NFL career, noted how quarterback mobility has changed in recent years.
“I see (Buffalo Bills quarterback) Josh Allen I run a lot, I understand (Baltimore Ravens quarterback) Lamar Jackson run a lot,” Brady said. “It’s a great skill set. Many times I wish I had that skill set.
Brady flashed back to a memory from his early playing days that was eerily similar to the one with Lawrence.
“I remember in 2001, I think we played in Buffalo,” Brady recalled. “I slipped in late and Nate Clements was (cornerback) for the Bills and he came out of the second and absolutely crushed me. My helmet flew off.
Brady continued, “I had a lot of teammates come up to me the next day and say, ‘Dude, these guys are coming. You need to get rid of that football. And if you’re sliding, you better get off. These guys are coming to get you.
Ultimately, Brady called the hit “a great learning experience for me because I realized that when I’m out of that pocket, things move a lot faster for me.”
After Lawrence left the game, he offered to the fans optimistic update about his health on social networks.
“Thank you to everyone who reached out / prayed for me,” he wrote via X on Sunday night. “I’m home and feeling better. It means a lot, thank you all🙌🏻.”
Lawrence was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, December 4th, possibly ending his season.
