In a recent podcast appearance, former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers star quarterback, Tom Brady, made some scathing remarks about the state of the NFL, referring to it as a league filled with "mediocrity." However, NFL legend Barry Sanders, a Hall of Fame Detroit Lions running back, strongly disagreed with Brady's assessment.

During his appearance on "RG3 and The Ones," Sanders couldn't help but laugh at Brady's comments, suggesting that perhaps Brady was referring to the teams he played for. Sanders, who witnessed his Lions drop to 8-3 with a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Green Bay Packers, expressed his disagreement, stating, "No, it's anything but mediocre. I thought I saw that comment somewhere, and hey look, for us as Lions fans, maybe I just have blinders on because of how we're leading the division, how well we're playing. But I still see a great product. I still see great, great teams and a very popular game."

It's worth noting that the Patriots currently hold a disappointing 2-8 record this season, while the Buccaneers stand at 4-6. Out of the two teams, only Tampa Bay is in contention for a division title. This contrast in success may have influenced Brady's negative perception of the league.

However, Sanders expressed curiosity about Brady's point of view, stating, "I would listen to anything he has to say, and I'd have to get into more detail about what he is actually referring to. But hey look, I think this is like the greatest product, the greatest thing we've ever seen as Lions fans. So I'm gonna enjoy this for a while."

Brady initially made his critical comments on "The Stephen A. Smith Show," where he voiced his concerns about the current state of the NFL. He mentioned the lack of excellence he witnessed in today's game, believing that coaching and player development have declined. Brady also blamed the rules for allowing bad habits to affect the performance of the game, describing the product as "less than what it's been."

One specific example Brady used to support his argument was the regulation of defensive players. He claimed that hits made by legends such as Ray Lewis, Rodney Harrison, and Ronnie Lott would now be penalized, suggesting that it's not the responsibility of defensive players to protect offensive players. Instead, he argued that offensive players should be taught how to protect themselves, questioning why coaches complain about their players being tackled instead of instructing them on self-protection.

Brady further emphasized his concerns, revealing that he didn't throw the ball to certain areas of the field out of fear that players would be knocked out of the game. He specifically mentioned avoiding the middle when playing against Ray Lewis, as he didn't want to risk losing a valuable player.

Despite Brady's retirement in February, he already appears disillusioned with the product on TV. And he wasn't the only one to challenge Brady's critical assessment of today's NFL. Three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Alex Smith also pushed back on Brady's description of the on-field product, highlighting Brady's recent Super Bowl win and pointing out that he played in what he considers the most uncompetitive division in NFL history, the AFC East.

Smith referred to Brady's division as a "cupcake division," asserting that it provided an easy ticket to the playoffs. Disagreeing with Brady's assessment, Smith argued that the game has actually improved, despite Brady's concerns about rule changes.

Brady made these comments during an appearance on "The Stephen A. Show," where he reiterated his dissatisfaction with the perceived mediocrity in the NFL. He stressed that defensive players should not be responsible for protecting offensive players, reigniting the debate around player safety and the role of regulations in the game.