Tom Brady didn’t waste any time with the sugarcoating in his latest NFL broadcast.
Working the Buffalo Bills-Los Angeles Chargers game as color commentator, the seven-time Super Bowl champion zeroed in on Justin Herbert’s early-fourth-quarter interception and made his opinion crystal clear. Herbert was trying to hit Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but the pass ended up in the hands of C.J. Gardner-Johnson instead.
Brady broke down the mistake with a blunt diagnosis of the play. “Poor Awareness, Poor Decision. Throws him a Meatball Sub,” Brady said.
The line hit hard because it came in real time, with Brady pointing to the lack of awareness before the ball even left Herbert’s hand. He also took aim at the decision itself, as the throw drifted straight into danger and turned into a game-changing pick.
“Meatball sub” has become a popular NFL phrase for an interception that’s basically served up on a platter, and Brady used it to put a colorful edge on the moment. Coming from a quarterback with his kind of career, the criticism carried extra weight.
Herbert has plenty of believers because of his arm talent and athleticism, but plays like this keep the spotlight fixed on the finer points of his game. The Chargers lean heavily on him to make plays under pressure, and Brady’s comments went straight to the heart of that responsibility.
This wasn’t a one-off from Brady, either. In his third year as a full-time broadcaster, he’s become increasingly willing to call out mistakes without softening the blow. The Herbert interception fit that mold perfectly and added another chapter to the conversation around his decision-making.
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