Is this the year Father Time finally catches up to Tom Brady?
Tony Gonzalez is starting to think so.
Brady thus far has managed to overcome his unprecedented NFL mileage as he continues to rack up hardware. But the 2019 season has been a trying one for Brady, who’s largely looked like a shell of himself at the helm of a pedestrian Patriot offense. Gonzalez believes it’s these offensive shortcomings that will prevent New England from winning a fourth Super Bowl in six years.
“Will they win the Super Bowl this year? No, I don’t think so,” Gonzalez said Tuesday on FS1’s “Speak For Yourself.” “I’ve always said don’t ever count the Patriots out, don’t ever go against a Hall of Famer, because that’s what Tom Brady is. Tom Brady’s getting older. That’s all there is to it. He’s still good, there’s no doubt about that. Is he still a top quarterback in the league? Is he still a top-four quarterback in the league? I don’t think so. That’s not a knock against Tom, but you’re 42 years old now. …Some of his throws are sailing from him. He’s one of those quarterbacks now that I think needs the surrounding cast around him to be great. It’s not like he’s out there making everybody else great anymore. He’s still got a little bit of that, but it ain’t what it used to be. He needs (Rob) Gronkowski, he needs Antonio Brown, he needs these type of guys to get that offense going because that’s what’s wrong with them. It isn’t the defense. It’s that offense that I don’t think is going to be able to match up in the playoffs against the Chiefs, against the Houston Texans, against the Baltimore Ravens, for sure. I just don’t think they have enough firepower and Brady isn’t what he used to be, with all due respect.”
.@TonyGonzalez88 doesn't believe the Patriots will win the Super Bowl this year
"Tom Brady's getting older. That's all there is to it." pic.twitter.com/JBJIAugxnw
— Speak For Yourself (@SFY) December 10, 2019
Gonzalez isn’t the only talking head low on the Patriots’ Super Bowl hopes. In fact, Jason Whitlock, Colin Cowherd and Rex Ryan all believe New England will be one-and-done come January. As such, one has to imagine Brady and Co. once again will fully embrace an underdog mentality as the try to climb to football’s mountaintop yet again.
