National Football League

Tom Brady rips NFL QB play, defends suspended Steelers safety Damontae Kazee

Published Dec. 18, 2023 6:09 p.m. ET

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Tom Brady criticized the state of quarterback play in the NFL and said that was to blame for the hit that Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee laid on diving Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. during Saturday's 30-13 Indianapolis win.

Pittman exited the game and entered concussion protocol, while Kazee was ejected, then suspended for the rest of the season by the NFL on Monday for what the league said was "repeated violations of safety rules."

However, Brady came to Kazee's defense on Monday, commenting on an Instagram post of the suspension. The issues with these types of hits, he claims, has more to do with where quarterbacks place the ball for their receivers than how defensive backs play.

"Nobody likes seeing players get hurt," Brady wrote. "But hard hits happen. QBs should not be throwing the balls in areas where they are exposing their own teammates to these types of hits. Coaches need to coach better, QBs needs [sic] to read coverage and throw the ball to the right places and defenders should aim for the right hitting areas. To put the blame on the defensive player all the time is just flat out wrong. Need better QB play!! It's not OK QBs to get your WRs hit because of your bad decisions!"

The quarterback in question on that particular play was Gardner Minshew, a veteran journeyman who started the season as the Colts' backup quarterback but has started the majority of Indianapolis' games this season after promising rookie Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 4.

Minshew is one of several backups getting heavy playing time in the second half of this NFL season due to an abundance of injuries to star quarterbacks including Joe Burrow, Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson. Additionally, several other quarterbacks such as Geno Smith, C.J. Stroud and Matthew Stafford have missed games due to injury this season.

It sounds like Brady, who began his own career as a backup, is not taking that as an excuse, however.

Brady will have more opportunities to share his beliefs on the current state of the NFL when he starts as an analyst for NFL on FOX next season.

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Tom Brady

Pittsburgh Steelers

Indianapolis Colts

Damontae Kazee

Michael Pittman Jr.

Gardner Minshew II