Rob Gronkowski has responded to complaints leveled by Tom Brady about the current state of the NFL.
During the latest edition of his Let’s Go podcast, Brady said he believes the NFL seems to be getting too soft.
“Football is a physical sport, there’s a physical element to all of this. You throw a 15-yard flag for something that, you know, 20 years ago maybe wouldn’t have had a flag. That affects the game in a big way,” Brady said.
“There’s so many people that want it less and less physical, it’s more like flag football, which is going to be in the Olympics in 2028,” he added. “Maybe football goes to flag football over a period of time.”
When asked about those comments during an interview on the Up And Adams show, Gronkowski said he believed Brady benefitted from the current NFL rulebook.
“I mean, it was already flag football for you, brother. Some of those calls for you last year, they barely touched you, especially the call with the Atlanta Falcons. They were getting a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty,” Gronkowski said, referencing a play that allowed the Buccaneers to run out the clock and win the game against the Falcons.
“All the rules go in your favor, Tom. You’re not playing anymore, that’s why you’re saying that,” Gronkowski added.
Despite this, Gronkowski agreed with Brady’s overall sentiment and does not want the NFL to ban the hip-drop tackle.
“I just think it’s making the game more soft. You barely see it and if a guy is in that position and that’s the only way you can take someone down, then you got to do it…The NFL is just getting too soft now,” he said.
