Signs, if any, that Brady is slowing due to age?

[Fencer]

Since the subject of Brady's age keeps coming up, one natural question is: Are there signs of a slowdown or deterioration already?

I can think of a few hints, but nothing that's close to proven.

• Strength -- wouldn't be the first thing to go, but anyhow seems fine.
• Quickness. Brady's most noteworthy quickness is eluding the rush. I'm in the camp that says he got a bit of happy feet post-Pollard. Perhaps that's also because he knows he's slowed slightly. But to call the evidence "inconclusive" is to overstate its persuasiveness.
• Slowness recovering from injury (by which I mean mainly minor injuries of the kind everybody plays through). He does seem to have had more (of course undisclosed) lingering injuries in recent years.
• Accuracy. Other than the odd-looking loss of reliability on his old bread-and-butter swing pass, I can't think of any loss of accuracy. And that can be explained by not focusing on as much in practice.

Bottom line: The only area where I lean toward "Yes, Brady has already slowed a bit" is in his recovery from injury. And even that is quite speculative.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I think his hair line raised a 16th of an inch over the last few years.

 

[Zeus]

Is being okay with a highly questionable haircut a sign of aging?

 

[Koma]

Yelling at fans who get to close to the field at Training Camp to "Get off my lawn!"

 

[MassPats38]

Bottom line: The only area where I lean toward "Yes, Brady has already slowed a bit" is in his recovery from injury. And even that is quite speculative.

Hasn't Brady been on the injury list for all but two weeks of his career as a a starter? The man's shoulder has apparently taken 12 years to heal, so don't let that issue darken your day.

 

[363839]

Has he started referring to rookies as young whippersnappers?
That would definitely be a sign...I think.
Bringing cane or walker to practice would also be a sign of aging.
Does he start stories by saying "In my day..."?
Cuz I think that would also be a sign.

 

[manxman2601]

When he starts driving a Porsche. So mid-life crisis.

(Sorry to any Porsche drivers)

 

[thenepatsrule]

....... In other news some NFL players are as horny as teenagers

 

[hovis]

His receiving skills have definitely regressed. He doesn't run routes with the same precision and speed that he used to.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

He is so slow now. We are screwed.

 

[Kontradiction]

The first sign of aging will be when his bowel movements take place in the early morning instead of mid-afternoon. So be on the lookout for that.

 

[Joker]

He had a party and the neighbors didn't even realize it.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Is being alright with a highly questionable haircut a sign of aging?

Then he's been aging for the last ten years.

 

[resdubwhite]

First time we see him in leather trousers.

Its time.

 

[QB12]

When he starts driving a Porsche. So mid-life crisis.

(Sorry to any Porsche drivers)

52 and busted.

 

[voluntarysaftey]

I think the following two things have diminished:

Arm Strength --
he didn't seem to have any deep ball accuracy last year
Running Ability --
esp in the Ravens game, there were a couple of opportunities to run for the first down and in the past he would've taken it but he seems less willing to do so now

 

[SVN]

Since the subject of Brady's age keeps coming up, one natural question is: Are there signs of a slowdown or deterioration already?

I can think of a few hints, but nothing that's close to proven.

• Strength -- wouldn't be the first thing to go, but anyhow seems fine.
• Quickness. Brady's most noteworthy quickness is eluding the rush. I'm in the camp that says he got a bit of happy feet post-Pollard. Perhaps that's also because he knows he's slowed slightly. But to call the evidence "inconclusive" is to overstate its persuasiveness.
• Slowness recovering from injury (by which I mean mainly minor injuries of the kind everybody plays through). He does seem to have had more (of course undisclosed) lingering injuries in recent years.
• Accuracy. Other than the odd-looking loss of reliability on his old bread-and-butter swing pass, I can't think of any loss of accuracy. And that can be explained by not focusing on as much in practice.

Bottom line: The only area where I lean toward "Yes, Brady has already slowed a bit" is in his recovery from injury. And even that is quite speculative.

You will get to read many signs on the weekly gameday thread once the season starts and he throws an incompletion or two.There are some posters who specifically wait for this to happen and post only at that times .

 

[IcyPatriot]

First time we see him in leather trousers.

Its time.

Here I was thinking it was the white shoes.

 

[manxman2601]

Here I was thinking it was the white shoes.

Sandals and socks.

 

[Tunescribe]

Since the subject of Brady's age keeps coming up, one natural question is: Are there signs of a slowdown or deterioration already?

I can think of a few hints, but nothing that's close to proven.

• Strength -- wouldn't be the first thing to go, but anyhow seems fine.
• Quickness. Brady's most noteworthy quickness is eluding the rush. I'm in the camp that says he got a bit of happy feet post-Pollard. Perhaps that's also because he knows he's slowed slightly. But to call the evidence "inconclusive" is to overstate its persuasiveness.
• Slowness recovering from injury (by which I mean mainly minor injuries of the kind everybody plays through). He does seem to have had more (of course undisclosed) lingering injuries in recent years.
• Accuracy. Other than the odd-looking loss of reliability on his old bread-and-butter swing pass, I can't think of any loss of accuracy. And that can be explained by not focusing on as much in practice.

Bottom line: The only area where I lean toward "Yes, Brady has already slowed a bit" is in his recovery from injury. And even that is quite speculative.

This is like looking a gift-horse in the mouth. All players age differently. It's been documented that Brady has elevated his personal off-season training and nutrition regimen to an art-form. He's only what -- 36? If he manages to avoid serious injury and keeps playing, I wouldn't look for any alleged "age-related" drop-off in performance until he's 39. It's too early to entertain this kind of speculation and it serves no purpose. He'll play until he can't perform at an elite level any longer and that will be it. Even if/when he does show signs of "aging," he likely will compensate in terms of smarts and savvy.