Beyond both helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win a Super Bowl, Jon Gruden and Tom Brady have more in common.
They both believe that current NFL offenses are being “dumbed” down for young quarterbacks.
Gruden spoke about the state of current offenses during a recent appearance on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me With Dan Dakich.”
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Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden reacts against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
“I think when you watch a Friday night high school football game, I think you’ll see the same offenses, a lot of the same plays on Saturday when you watch a major college game. And then when you watch football on Sunday, you’re seeing a lot of the same plays that you’re seeing Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It all kind of looks the same,” Gruden said.
Brady says more rookie quarterbacks start right away because the coaches are making it simpler.
“The reality is the only reason why [rookies] are [playing right away] is because we dumbed the game down, which has allowed them to play,” Brady said during an appearance with Stephen A. Smith at Fanatics Fest in August.
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Tom Brady gives the MVP trophy to Adrian Martinez of the Birmingham Stallions after the Stallions beat the San Antonio Brahmas to win the UFL Championship Game at The Dome at America’s Center on June 16, 2024, in St Louis. (Scott Rovak/UFL/Getty Images)
“It used to be thought of at a higher level. We used to spend hours and hours in the offseason, in training camp, trying to be a little bit better the next year. But I think what happens is it discourages the coaches from going to deep levels because they realize the players don’t have the opportunity to go to a deep level. So, they’re going to teach them where they’re at,” Brady said.
Gruden does not see some of the new quarterback play in the league as “evolving.”
“I don’t think quarterbacks clapping their hands in the snap count putting the ball in play is evolution. I think that’s what cavemen did when they were hungry before electricity. They would clap their hands and point to their mouth,” Gruden said.
Yet the former Las Vegas Raiders head coach understands why offenses are being dumbed down.
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Jon Gruden (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)
“I think [offense] is being dumbed down a little bit and, rightfully so, you’re not allowed to be on the practice field as long. You see a lot of players in college now transferring twice, three times, not having spring practice. … Repetition is the mother of learning, and when you take away the repetition, you’re going to lose some quality, I don’t care who you argue with,” Gruden said.
Gruden last coached in the NFL with the Raiders in 2021 before resigning five weeks into the season after articles published by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times detailed the use of racist, homophobic and misogynistic terms by Gruden in emails reportedly dating back to 2010.
Brady retired from playing after the 2022-2023 season, and after taking a season away from the game, he is now commenting on NFL games alongside Kevin Burkhardt for FOX.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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