NFL Total Access discuss Brady and coaching staff

On NFL Total Access, the NFL Network’s flagship program, host Rich Eisen and commentators Warren Sapp and Jamie Dukes discussed comments made by Tom Brady from the Peter King interview Monday. The comment that they keyed on was when Brady mentioned that the team needs to listen to Coach Belichick more. Jamie Dukes took that to mean that it was the coaching staff that was not on the same page as Belichick, when I think that most thought that Tom was referring to certain players in the locker room. Dukes’ point was that with the turnover in coaching staff over the last few years has brought a mixed message from the coaches. Dukes referred to what he has heard from “that camp” that Belichick would say one thing and the other coaches would say something different. If that’s the case, that may explain the lack of coordinators and turnover this past offseason in the coaching staff. I would also contend that if the coaching staff is delivering a different message than Belichick, that’s a much bigger problem than a few bad apples among the players.

The crew then got on the topic about Tom not being around all offseason like he used to be. Both Sapp and Dukes acknowledged that marriage and fatherhood changes priorities around. I don’t think that any Patriots could fault Tom for putting family first. However, Dukes went on to say that Tom may not be the player he once was due to having other family responsibilities now. His contention was that when you have both the responsibilities of being a player and being a husband/father, that “something’s got to give.” Warren Sapp quickly came to Brady’s defense and said, “Don’t ever question Tom.”

Warren Sapp hit the nail on the head. Brady, despite coming off a major knee injury that put him out of football for a year, had his second-best season. He may not have been as sharp as normal but that’s to be expected. Just ask Carson Palmer. Not that Brady has ever needed any extra motivation, but I hope he has those comments from Jamie Dukes recorded and in a place he can readily access them. Tom Brady is not as good a QB as he used to be due to fatherhood? Just keep replaying those comments Tom.

You can view the segment by clicking here.