Tom Brady elite quarterback until his mid-40s says Patriots owner
New England's QB could play six to seven more years in the NFL
Tom Brady proved in his last Super Bowl win that age does not matter in the NFL after leading the New England Patriots to the title versus the Atlanta Falcons months ago. New reports out of New England is that the veteran quarterback is willing to play for six or seven more years, according to Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
“As recently as 2-3 days ago, he assured me he'd be willing to play six to seven more years and at the level he performed. There's no one that would be happier than I, and our fan base,” the team owner, who is close to Brady, said via ESPN recently.
According to Pro Football Talk, George Blanda, a former kicker and quarterback for the Raiders franchise, was the oldest player to play in the NFL when he was 48 years old. The 39-year-old Brady will hit 40 in August later this year and is under contract with the Patriots until the 2019 NFL season. PFT notes that Blanda played more as the kicker than the quarterback late in his NFL career.
If what Kraft said is true, then Brady has a chance to rival Blanda’s NFL record. Kraft told reporters during the league meeting about Brady’s plans. He emphasised that Brady can still play at a high level even when he hit his mid-40s.
For his 18-year NFL career, Brady has recorded 61,582 passing yards on 5,244 of 8,224 passes or 63.8 percent passing rate with 456 touchdowns against 152 interceptions. He is considered one of the best players in NFL history and the best quarterback in league history.
Brady’s last Super Bowl win was the biggest in his career. The Patriots trailed 28-3 in the first half and still won the game 34-28. The Falcons’ second half collapse allowed Brady to win his fourth Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. As for Brady playing at an elite level for the next few seasons, it could still happen after what he had shown last season.
"I think Tommy's sustained excellence is just unbelievable. It's a lifestyle. He's in training. I remember after our first Super Bowl going down to the trainer in the old Foxboro Stadium three days after we won and he's in there with the music blaring, working out,” Kraft added via NFL.com.
“The thing that's amazing about him, to this day he hasn't changed as a human being in terms of how he relates to people, but also how he works out. The only thing is he changes how he eats, how he diets. I'm not sure avocado ice cream is right for me, so if I can look like him and perform half as well, I guess I'll do it."
