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PATRIOTS DEFEAT BRONCOS TO WIN THE AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

 

NFL COACHES WITH THE MOST SUPER BOWL WINS

 

PATRIOTS' JABRILL PEPPERS TO FACE STRANGULATION, DRUG CHARGES

 FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers was arrested Saturday and will face charges that include strangulation and drug possession, according to police in Braintree, Massachusetts.

Peppers, a team captain, didn't play in the Patriots' 15-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. He had been limited in practice last week because of a shoulder injury, and the team officially ruled him out Saturday.

Police announced Peppers' arrest Monday, saying they responded to a disturbance at a residential address early Saturday morning when a caller indicated there was an altercation between two people.

Police said Peppers, who turned 29 on Friday, will be charged with "assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and possession of a Class B substance believed to be cocaine."

The alleged victim was treated at the scene, and Peppers is expected to be arraigned Monday in Quincy (Massachusetts) District Court.

"He called me that morning. I knew what was going on," head coach Jerod Mayo told sports radio WEEI on Monday. "We've informed the NFL what was going on and we're still gathering information. ... I don't think anyone knows the facts or anything like that. It's a process."

In a statement, the Patriots said they were "aware of an incident involving Jabrill Peppers over the weekend in which the police are currently investigating" and would have no further comment.

- Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer

TOM BRADY INDUCTED INTO PATRIOTS HALL OF FAME, NO. 12 RETIRED

 

"It wasn’t me, it wasn’t you, it was us,” Tom Brady said of his former coach in New England, Bill Belichick. "Let me make this crystal clear -- there is no coach in the world I would rather play for than Bill Belichick." New England Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In a sold-out ceremony in front of more than 60,000 fans at Gillette Stadium, Tom Brady was inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame Wednesday night, with owner Robert Kraft announcing that his jersey No. 12 will never be worn again in New England.

In addition, Kraft said a statue of Brady measuring 12 feet tall will be unveiled during the 2024 season, something the franchise has never done before.

"Our goal was to create a once-in-a-lifetime ceremony for a one-in-a-kind player. I hope we accomplished that goal with a few firsts," Kraft said.

Brady capped off the three-hour program with a rousing speech that was at times fiery, emotional, inspirational and humorous. He called it a "monumental moment" in his life, expressed his thanks to Kraft, and concluded by saying: "I am eternally grateful. I am Tom Brady. And I am a Patriot."

Brady's 20 years with the franchise from 2000-19 produced six Super Bowl championships and 17 AFC East titles before he finished his career playing three seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning another Super Bowl.

More than 100 of his teammates and former coaches attended the Hall of Fame ceremony, including Bill Belichick, which marked the first time Belichick was back at Gillette Stadium since he and the Patriots parted ways in January after 24 seasons.

Brady noted the presence of Belichick, who was one of the night's featured speakers earlier in the night and received a thunderous ovation.

"Thank you for your tireless commitment to develop and push me to be my very best. It wasn't me, it wasn't you, it was us," Brady said. "Let me make this crystal clear - there is no coach in the world I would rather play for than Bill Belichick."

Belichick had concluded his remarks with a similar message for Brady.

"Thank you for all that you've done for us. Thank you for all you've done for me. And thank you for the example and model that you've been for all of us, on a daily basis, for 20 years," Belichick said. "You're unbelievable."

The night included a few surprises for Brady, including the presence of his longtime rival Peyton Manning, who insisted that he deliver his remarks in person after noting that Brady was there for him at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 2021.

Singer Kenny Chesney was on hand to perform a live version of his song "The Boys of Fall" and rapper Jay-Z sang "Public Service Announcement" -- the song that played when Brady took the field during the second half of his Patriots career.

Brady's parents, sisters and extended family were all in attendance, and Brady often showed his emotions when mentioning them throughout the night.

"It is so difficult to put into words what this night means to me and our entire family," he said.

- Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer

TOM BRADY'S NETFLIX ROAST FEATURES LOTS OF HUMOR, REUNION BETWEEN ROBERT KRAFT AND BILL BELICHICK

AP Photo 

 INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Three months before Tom Brady gets roasted by critics as Fox Sports' top NFL analyst, he took his share of barbs from comedians, former teammates and his longtime coach Sunday night during a made-for-streaming comedy live event on Netflix.

And it is safe to say after the one liners and jokes Brady heard during three hours of “The Greatest Roast of All Time” at The Forum, he will do just fine.

“It’s like a football game. You run with a game plan, and then you get to see kind of how the strategy goes, and then you adjust on the fly,” Brady said before the event. “This is what a locker room has been like for me for all these years. So it’s not like I’m used to people not making fun of me.”

Comedian Nikki Glaser, whose monologue was among the funniest of the night, termed the roast as “the comedians' Super Bowl” and how the competition level was ramped up because everyone wanted to one-up each other.

Brady sustained more blitzes and pressure than he did during an average NFL game as an impressive lineup of comedians, former teammates and opponents took the stage . Host Kevin Hart said before the event that no topic was off limits, and Hart went on the offensive early with jokes about Brady's ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen.

“Gisele gave you an ultimatum. She said you retire or we're done. When you got a chance to go 8-9 and all it will cost you is your wife and your kids, you've got to do what you've got to do,” Hart said, referring to Brady coming out of a brief retirement in 2022 for one more season.

The only time Brady objected to a joke was when Jeff Ross made a reference to Patriots owner Robert Kraft and massages. In 2019, Kraft originally received a misdemeanor charge that he paid for sex at a Florida massage parlor. Prosecutors later dropped the charge after courts blocked the use of video from cameras installed by police inside the massage parlors.

Brady walked up to Ross and said in his ear “don't say that (stuff) again”, but it was clearly caught on the microphone and heard by those watching the roast at home. It was not heard by those in attendance.

Later, Kraft and former Patriots coach Bill Belichick did a shot together on stage after some coaxing from Hart.

Belichick was fired in January after 24 seasons with the Patriots, and a lot has been written about friction between the six-time winning Super Bowl coach and owner over the past couple years.

After joking about this being like a reunion and “unlike many family reunions there are some people I am desperately trying to avoid”, Kraft praised Belichick for what the two accomplished.

“I want to say this is the greatest coach in the history of the game that did what no one else has done. And having Tom Brady and him was the greatest honor the good Lord gave me,” Kraft said.

It wasn't the first shot (of alcohol) that Belichick took. Rob Gronkowski got Belichick and Brady to do a shot together after his monologue. Gronkowski celebrated by spiking his shot glass.

Belichick appeared at the beginning of the roast during a pre-taped segment when he told Brady that he was “starting the roast” instead of Drew Bledsoe. Brady replaced Bledsoe in 2001 when Bledsoe was injured in a Week 2 game against the Jets and led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl title that season.

“For all of you out there who think about who's responsible for the Patriots success during the time Tom and I was together — was it Tom or me — in reality the truth of the matter was it was both of us because of me,” Belichick said.

Brady did have some fun at Belichick's expense though near the end of the show.

“I've been out of the game for a minute, so I’m curious, how many Super Bowl rings have you won since I left?,” Brady said. “Maybe it’s not just the guy on the sideline. When I go to the Indy 500, I don’t ask the winning driver, `Hey, you gassed up your car?;”

Hart said before the show that he thought Brady was in a great mindset going into the event. Brady did come in well prepared, going over his monologue with a group of people, including those at Fox Sports.

“You have to be able to laugh at yourself and I love that he is doing in this forum," Hart said. "I love that he is embracing the things that some people think he runs away from. It is a celebration of greatness and we are doing it in a fun way.”

Bledsoe also said that Brady has had a sense of humor, but that this was a different stage.

“I thought he was very brave. There’s plenty of material to make fun of him on," Bledsoe said. "The truth is when you’re a professional athlete, roasting each other is kind of what we do every day in the locker room. And so, you better have thick skin going in. Now, people get to laugh along with it.”

- JOE REEDY

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS' | NFL DRAFT

 

BILL BELICHICK THANKS PATRIOTS FANS, REMEMBERS 'AMAZING' MOMENTS

USA TODAY Sports 

 Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick took out a full-page ad in Sunday's edition of The Boston Globe, thanking New England fans for their support over his long tenure with the team.

"Nowhere in America are pro sports fans as passionate as in New England and for 24 years, I was blessed to feel your passion and power. The Patriots are the only NFL team representing SIX states but in reality, Patriots Nation knows no borders," he started his letter, which ran on page A3 of Sunday's paper.

Belichick, 71, and the Patriots parted ways on Jan. 11 after a run that included six Super Bowl titles and three more AFC championships. He compiled a 266-121 record in the regular season and 30-12 in the postseason over 24 years in New England.

BILL BELICHICK LEAVING PATRIOTS AFTER 24 SEASONS, SOURCES SAY

Bill Belichick has 333 wins all time (regular season and playoffs), 14 behind Hall of Famer Don Shula. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots are expected to part ways Thursday after a remarkable 24 seasons together, ending an unmatched run in NFL history that included six Super Bowl titles, league sources told ESPN.

Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft spent a good part of this week periodically meeting and discussing how each side wanted to proceed. From sources familiar with those conversations, there was said to be no conflict, no disagreement, and in the end, productive talks resulted in a mutual decision that left both sides comfortable and at ease.

Both Belichick and Kraft, as one outside party noted, "took the high road," which was fitting for an owner-coach tandem that will go down as one of the greatest and most decorated in NFL history.

Belichick, who had one year remaining on his contract, will be allowed to leave the team without the Patriots seeking compensation. He will want to continue coaching and is expected to draw interest from at least some of the other seven NFL teams that have head-coaching vacancies, quite possibly the Atlanta Falcons, league sources said.

The Patriots now will embark on their first head-coaching search in a quarter century. Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, whom the team signed to a contract extension in the offseason and Kraft has identified as a rising head-coaching candidate, projects to be a, if not the, leading candidate for the job, sources said. Mayo played for the Patriots from 2008 to 2014 and has been an assistant under Belichick since 2019.

LAST RIDE? BILL BELICHICK STILL GIVING 'MY BEST' EVERY DAY' TO PATRIOTS

USA TODAY Sports 

Considering his track record for discipline and consistency, it would be a surprise if Patriots coach Bill Belichick prematurely rode off into the sunset as he prepares for what is rumored to be his final game in New England.

Sparked by reports of owner Robert Kraft's decision on Belichick's future with the team, speculation mounted in November that New England was ready for a change at the position.

With six Super Bowl titles in 24 seasons with the Patriots, Belichick is regarded as one of the greatest coaches of all-time. But at 4-12, the Patriots are headed for their third losing season in four years since Tom Brady left in free agency.

Belichick, 71, rarely engages in discussions around hypothetical or speculative topics in his media sessions, and kept that usual nose-to-the-grindstone portrait intact on Tuesday in an interview aired on WEEI in Boston.

NFL ROUNDUP: RAVENS THRASH DOLPHINS, GRAB NO. 1 SEED IN AFC

Lamar Jackson. USA TODAY Sports 

Lamar Jackson passed for 321 yards and matched his career high of five touchdown passes and the Baltimore Ravens clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 56-19 dismantling of the visiting Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Isaiah Likely had two touchdown receptions and Zay Flowers (106 receiving yards), Justice Hill, Patrick Ricard and Charlie Kolar each had one for the Ravens (13-3). Gus Edwards and Melvin Gordon III each rushed for a score for Baltimore, which has won six straight games and 10 of its past 11.

Roquan Smith and Geno Stone had interceptions for the Ravens, who have won eight games by 14 or more points this season. Miami star linebacker Bradley Chubb was carted off with a potentially serious knee injury with 3:05 remaining.

Tua Tagovailoa completed 22 of 38 passes for 237 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Miami (11-5) but sustained an injury to his left (throwing) shoulder. He was injured while sliding during a scramble with 7:55 left and missed the rest of the contest. De'Von Achane rushed 107 yards and caught a touchdown pass for the Dolphins.

49ers 27, Commanders 10

Brock Purdy threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns as San Francisco clinched the top seed in the NFC by beating Washington in Landover, Md.

Elijah Mitchell carried 17 times for 80 yards and a touchdown as the 49ers (12-4) locked down the top record in the conference after losses by Detroit on Saturday and Philadelphia on Sunday. Mitchell took over for Christian McCaffrey, who was sidelined with an ankle injury early in the third quarter after rushing 14 times for 64 yards.

Brock Purdy. USA TODAY Sports 

Sam Howell completed 17 of 28 passes for 169 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Washington (4-12), which dropped its seventh straight, its longest single-season losing streak since 1998.

Chiefs 25, Bengals 17

Harrison Butker booted six field goals while Isiah Pacheco and Rashee Rice each gained over 100 yards from scrimmage as Kansas City clinched the AFC West with a victory over visiting Cincinnati.

Harrison Butker. USA TODAY Sports 

Patrick Mahomes finished 21-of-29 passing for 245 yards and a touchdown for the Chiefs (10-6), who clinched their eighth straight division title. Pacheco totaled 130 yards on 18 carries and had seven receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown, and Rice finished with five catches for 127 yards.

Justin Watson. USA TODAY Sports 

Jake Browning completed 19 of 33 passes for 197 yards. He threw for a TD and rushed for another for the Bengals (8-8), who were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. Cincinnati led 17-7 in the second quarter before Kansas City scored the final 18 points.

Bills 27, Patriots 21

Quarterback Josh Allen rushed for a pair of 1-yard touchdowns and Buffalo held off a late rally by New England to earn a victory in Orchard Park, N.Y.

The Bills (10-6) will go into the final week of the regular season holding the AFC's second wild-card berth but not yet assured of a postseason spot. Allen put Buffalo up 27-14 with 10:42 remaining in the third quarter when he snuck into the end zone with the help of a push from running back Latavius Murray.

Josh Allen. USA TODAY Sports 

Ezekiel Elliott rushed for a 6-yard score early in the fourth to pull New England (4-12) within six, and the Patriots ended up getting the ball back with 6:41 left in the game. However, New England failed to get past its 11-yard line, and the Bills then ran out the clock.

Bears 37, Falcons 17

Justin Fields passed for 268 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 45 yards and a score to lift host Chicago over Atlanta.

The Bears (7-9) relied on a balanced attack that outgained Atlanta 432-307 to win for the fourth time in the past five games. Khalil Herbert led the ground game, rushing 18 times for 124 yards and a touchdown.

The Falcons (7-9) lost for the third time in four games as their dim NFC playoff hopes took a hit. Taylor Heinicke finished 10-for-29 passing for 163 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions before Desmond Ridder entered in relief late in the fourth quarter.

Texans 26, Titans 3

C.J. Stroud passed for 213 yards and a touchdown in his return from a two-game concussion absence and host Houston kept its postseason hopes alive by thumping Tennessee.

Stroud completed 24 of 32 pass attempts and tossed a 12-yard touchdown to Brevin Jordan in the second quarter to extend the Houston lead to 10-0. Eight seconds later, the Texans (9-7) produced their first defensive touchdown of the season when Sheldon Rankins returned a fumble by Titans quarterback Will Levis 13 yards for a score.

Levis suffered a right foot injury while being sacked by Jerry Hughes on the play. Levis labored walking to the sideline and was carted to the locker room. Ryan Tannehill replaced Levis and passed for 168 yards. The Texans recorded five sacks of Tannehill while limiting the Titans (5-11) to 187 yards of total offense.

Colts 23, Raiders 20

Gardner Minshew threw for 224 yards and a touchdown while Jonathan Taylor ran for 96 yards and another score as host Indianapolis kept its hopes for an AFC South title alive by beating Las Vegas.

Matt Gay added second-half field goals of 38, 33 and 45 yards as the Colts (9-7) remained in a three-way tie with Jacksonville and Houston in the division. They will have to beat the visiting Texans next week in their regular-season finale and hope the Jaguars lose at Tennessee to claim a division crown.

Aidan O'Connell hit on 30 of 47 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns for Las Vegas (7-9), which was eliminated from playoff consideration. Davante Adams caught 13 passes for 126 yards and two scores.

Jaguars 26, Panthers 0

Brandon McManus kicked four field goals and Jacksonville's defense dominated as the hosts shut out Carolina.

The Jaguars (9-7) snapped a four-game losing streak and moved closer to repeating as AFC South champions. Sunday's win came with backup quarterback C.J. Beathard at the controls for the Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence, who sustained a shoulder injury a week earlier, missed a game for the first time since he arrived in the NFL in 2021, ending a string of 49 straight games played.

Bryce Young had 112 yards and an interception on 19-of-32 passing for the Panthers (2-14).

Rams 26, Giants 25

Matthew Stafford passed for 317 yards and a touchdown and Kyren Williams rushed for three scores to help Los Angeles defeat New York in East Rutherford, N.J.

Stafford completed 24 of 34 passes with two interceptions, Williams rushed for 87 yards on 20 carries and Puka Nacua caught five passes for 118 yards for the Rams (9-7), who have won six of their past seven.

Tyrod Taylor passed for 319 yards and a touchdown and Darius Slayton caught four passes for 106 yards and a long touchdown for the Giants (5-11), who have lost three in a row. New York failed to convert a two-point conversion try to take the lead with 3:27 left, and Mason Crosby missed a 54-yard field goal with 30 seconds remaining.

Cardinals 35, Eagles 31

James Conner rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 32 seconds to play and Arizona stunned host Philadelphia to leave the NFC playoff picture in disarray.

Needing a stop to halt their December slide, the Eagles saw their defense fall flat, allowing touchdowns on all four second-half possessions to permit 29 points as Philadelphia (11-5) dropped out of first place in the NFC East.

Kyler Murray was rarely pressured after a first-half interception and completed 25 of 31 passes for 232 yards and three TDs for Arizona (4-12). Conner had 26 carries for 128 yards. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles had only 275 total yards to Arizona's 449.

Saints 23, Buccaneers 13

Derek Carr threw two touchdown passes, New Orleans forced four turnovers and the visiting Saints stayed in contention for a postseason berth with a win over Tampa Bay.

Baker Mayfield was 22-of-33 passing for 309 yards and two touchdowns but had two interceptions. Tampa Bay (8-8), which had won four in a row, missed an opportunity to clinch its third consecutive NFC South title, but can still do so with a victory at Carolina next weekend.

The Saints (8-8), who avenged a 26-9 home loss to the Buccaneers in Week 4, can win the South with a win over Atlanta and a Bucs loss to the Panthers in Week 18.

Steelers 30, Seahawks 23

Najee Harris rushed 27 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns as Pittsburgh continued its playoff push with a victory against host Seattle.

Mason Rudolph, starting for the injured Kenny Pickett, completed 18 of 24 passes for 274 yards for the Steelers (9-7). Geno Smith was 23-of-33 passing for 290 yards and one touchdown for the Seahawks (8-8), who had a two-game winning streak snapped and saw their postseason chances diminish.

The Seahawks reached the red zone before stalling, settling for Jason Myers' 24-yard field goal with 2:01 remaining to make it a one-possession game. The Steelers recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.

Broncos 16, Chargers 9

Jarrett Stidham threw for 224 yards and a touchdown in his first start in nearly a year, but Denver was eliminated from the playoff hunt despite beating visiting Los Angeles.

Stidham took over starting duties from Russell Wilson this week after the Broncos (8-8) lost three of their previous four games, and he completed 20 of 32 passes without a turnover. Denver was eliminated when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.

Easton Stick completed 24 of 38 passes for 220 yards in his third straight start for the Chargers (5-11) since Justin Herbert went down with a broken right index finger against the Broncos on Dec. 10. Alex Erickson caught seven passes for 98 yards for Los Angeles, which has lost four in a row and seven of eight.

Packers 33, Vikings 10

Jordan Love passed for three touchdowns and rushed for one more and Green Bay cruised to a win over Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Love completed 24 of 33 passes for 256 yards for Green Bay (8-8), which boosted its playoff hopes while reducing the Vikings' chances to near zero. The Packers can clinch a playoff berth with a win against the Chicago Bears in Week 18. Jayden Reed had six catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns for Green Bay.

Nick Mullens completed 13 of 22 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown for Minnesota (7-9), which lost its third game in a row. Mullens entered the game in the second half as a replacement for starter Jaren Hall, who completed 5 of 10 passes for 67 yards and an interception.

--Field Level Media

NFL ROUNDUP: LIONS TOPPLE VIKINGS,

USA TODAY Sports 

Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns, and the Detroit Lions clinched their first division title in 30 years by defeating the Minnesota Vikings 30-24 on Sunday in Minneapolis.

Jared Goff completed 30 of 40 passes for 257 yards and a touchdown as the Lions (11-4) secured the NFC North Division title and a home game in the opening round of the playoffs. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 12 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens threw for 411 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-36 passing but was also intercepted four times. Justin Jefferson caught six passes for 141 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings (7-8).

Gibbs scored on a 3-yard run with 11:07 remaining as Detroit took a 30-21 lead. Vikings kicker Greg Joseph hit a 26-yard field goal with 5:19 left to cut the Lions' lead to six. Minnesota drove to the Detroit 30 on its last possession, but Ifeatu Melifonwu stepped in front of Jefferson near the goal line for the game-clinching interception.

Dolphins 22, Cowboys 20

Jason Sanders drilled a 29-yard field goal as time expired and Miami clinched an AFC playoff spot with a victory over Dallas in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Sanders kicked five field goals -- three of over 50 yards -- and Tua Tagovailoa was 24-of-37 passing for 293 yards and one touchdown for the Dolphins (11-4). Raheem Mostert caught a scoring pass and Tyreek Hill had nine catches for 99 yards for Miami.

USA TODAY Sports 

Dak Prescott threw two touchdown passes for Dallas, including an 8-yarder to Brandin Cooks with 3:27 remaining to give the Cowboys a one-point lead. But Miami answered by driving 64 yards on 12 plays to set up Sanders' decisive field goal. CeeDee Lamb caught six passes for 118 yards and one touchdown for the Cowboys (10-5).

'A LOT OF MEDIOCRITY': TOM BRADY CRITICIZES LEVEL OF NFL PLAY

Reuters 

From coaching to development of young players to schemes, Tom Brady did not hold back on what he thinks of the quality of today's NFL.

"I think there's a lot of mediocrity in today's NFL. I don't see the excellence that I saw in the past," Brady said on the "The Stephen A. Smith Show" Monday.

"I think the coaching isn't as good as it was," Brady said. "I don't think the development of young players is as good as it was. I don't think the schemes are as good as they were."

Brady, 46, retired earlier this year after a 23-year career in which he won seven Super Bowls with the Patriots (2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, 2019) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2021). He also became the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes, among many other records.

Brady said one of the biggest reasons for the league's decline is certain side effects of recent rule changes.

"The rules have allowed a lot of bad habits to get into the actual performance of the game," Brady said.

He pointed to rule changes that were intended to protect players from injury, but he says have resulted in a "carefree" attitude on the field.

"Offensive players need to protect themselves. It's not up to a defensive player to protect an offensive player. A defensive player needs to protect himself. ... I think a lot of the way that the rules have come into play have allowed this -- you can essentially play carefree and then if anyone hits you hard, there's a penalty."

Brady cited Ray Lewis, Rodney Harrison and Ronnie Lott as examples of past players who would be challenged to play under today's rules.

".. Every hit they would have made would have been a penalty," Brady said. "You hear coaches complaining about their own player being tackled and not necessarily -- why don't they talk to their player about how to protect himself? ... We used to work on the fundamentals of those things all the time. Now they're trying to be regulated all the time."

Brady also blamed development at the college level -- not the athletes themselves changing -- for an NFL that's seen a decline in scoring the past four seasons, with teams combining to score just 43.3 points per game this season, down from 45.9 in 2021.

"I actually think college players were better prepared when I came out than they are now," he said. "Just because so many coaches are changing programs, and I would say there's not even a lot of college programs anymore. There's a lot of college teams, but not programs that are developing players.

"So as they get delivered to the NFL, they may be athletic, but they don't have much of the skills developed to be a professional. When I played at Michigan, I essentially played at a college program that was very similar to a pro environment. When I see these different players come in, they're not quite as prepared as they were, and I think the game has shown that over the last 12 to 13 years. I think things have slipped a little bit."

--Field Level Media

NEW VIDEO SHOWS MOMENTS BEFORE PATRIOTS FAN DEATH

 

PATRIOTS FAN DIES AFTER FIGHT

 

PATRIOT'S JACK JONES ARRESTED AT AIRPORT, CHARGES INCLUDE CARRYING A LOADED FIREARM

AP

New England Patriots cornerback Jack Jones was arrested Friday at Boston's Logan International Airport for allegedly attempting to bring two firearms on a plane, according to Lindsey Thorpe of Boston 25 News.

Police were called to Logan Airport's Terminal B on Friday night where they found two firearms in Jones' carry-on luggage, Massachusetts State Police said.

Jones is facing a number of charges, including possession of a concealed weapon in a secure area of an airport and possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card. He is also being charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm and possession of a large-capacity feeding device.

PATRIOTS SUPER BOWL WINNING WIDE RECEIVER CHARLES JOHNSON HAS PASSED AWAY AT AGE 50

BREAKING NEWS; TOM BRADY RETIRES AFTER 22 YEARS IN NFL

 

BILLS DEMOLISH PATRIOTS IN SEASON ENDING GAME

KLAY THOMPSON MEME