Patience is key, especially for rookie NFL QBs! Tom Brady has given his approval of the New England Patriots’ decision to announce Jacoby Brissett as the starting QB in 2024 despite acquiring Drake Maye with their No. 3 overall pick. In his appearance on the Herd w/Colin Cowherd show, the 7X Super Bowl champion said, “I think it’s best for a rookie quarterback to watch a veteran do it.”

Retired Alabama HC Nick Saban also believes that most problems creep up when a quarterback plays before he’s ready. Ahead of the Michigan vs Texas showdown, the 72-year-old ESPN analyst clearly stated why first-round QBs fail. His response is unsurprisingly similar to that of the NFL GOAT.

On September 7, ESPN College Football posted a YouTube video of Nick Saban’s conversation with Pat McAfee live from The Big House. In the conversation, the retired CFB GOAT coach resonated with Tom Brady’s opinions on starting rookie QBs. He said, “I do feel that one of the reasons that there’s so many failures of first-round draft pick quarterbacks is probably because a lot of these guys play before they’re ready.”

Nick Saban, who developed 44 first-round picks for the NFL, said that it’s the team’s and crowd’s expectations of them that they’re forced to have the mindset that they should start in their first season. He also added, “I think it depends on the individual whether they have the mental toughness to persevere the bad times and learn from them as opposed to being a guy that sits a little while until they gain the confidence to be able to go out there and play and have success.” Even the NFL GOAT didn’t start for his team in his first year and this experience has given him the confidence to speak about the mistake of starting rookie QBs in the NFL. 

Tom Brady on why starting rookie NFL QBs is a mistake

Tom Brady previously told Stephen A. Smith, “I think it’s just a tragedy that we’re forcing these rookies to play early, but the reality is the only reason why we are is because we’ve dumbed the game down, which has allowed them to play.” He recounted how it took “hours and hours in the offseason in training camp” to get their well-deserved starting role. Brady’s starter role came in an unexpected circumstance when he replaced Drew Bledsoe after an injury. Still, he learned from the veteran to be able to become who he is today. 

“I sat behind Drew Bledsoe my first year. What a great player he was. Someone that I got to watch and learn from,” Brady said. He also cited examples of Aaron Rodgers, who sat behind Brett Favre for years, and Patrick Mahomes, who watched Alex Smith for a year. After all, experience is a tremendous factor in sports. Someone might be the best QB in college football, but every team’s dynamics are different. Besides, transitioning from college to the professional league is a major pressure in itself.