A fresh quarterback ranking from Chris Simms has sparked the kind of argument that never really dies in football circles, and Tom Brady is right in the middle of it.
Simms’ list was built around quarterbacks in their prime, not their full careers, and that distinction mattered. Even so, Brady landed all the way at No. 9, a spot that immediately set off a wave of pushback from fans who expected him much closer to the top. Peyton Manning was placed at No. 1, with several other legends coming in ahead of Brady as well.
The list also had Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers above him, along with John Elway and Brett Favre. Simms said his ranking was based on prime performance, athletic traits, arm talent, and other intangibles, which helped explain why the conversation turned so quickly into a debate about how greatness should actually be measured at quarterback.
Brady’s résumé gave his supporters plenty to work with. He led the New England Patriots to multiple titles during his peak years and later added another championship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His seven Super Bowl wins, his passing records, and the sheer length of his dominance all came back into the discussion once the ranking went public.
Fans did not hold back. One wrote, “Bro Brady threw for 5000 yards and 50 TD’s and went 16-0 in his prime and 14 years later he threw for 5300 yards and 43 TD’s.
His prime lasted a decade and a half and was better than anyone’s peak,” another said, “This is a joke. Tom Brady 8.
Stop it,” and another added, “Somehow Tom Brady is still underrated,” while one more questioned, “What did Tom Brady do to make Chris Simms hate him”
That reaction only added to the noise around a ranking that was always going to draw heat. Brady’s supporters pointed to his consistency, his clutch play, and his ability to win with different teams. Others were willing to live with the placement, even while acknowledging how accomplished he has been.
In the end, the list did what these rankings always do: it turned a subjective call into a full-blown football argument. Brady’s place in the conversation is secure. The fight is over where he should sit on the board.
In Other News...
Patriots First Round Pick Already Facing A Brutal Early Verdict
The Patriots spent the offseason trying to stabilize their offensive line, bringing in Alijah Vera-Tucker to start at left guard and shifting Jared Wilson to center as part of a broader effort to clean up the front. Even with that work, the teams first-round pick Caleb Lomu is not stepping into an obvious opening right away. He is projected as a backup swing tackle behind Will Campbell and Morgan Moses, which leaves him in more of a developmental spot than the kind of instant-impact role teams usually hope for from a premium pick.
For New England, that creates an early evaluation problem as much as a depth chart one. Lomu has the kind of long-term upside that can still matter down the road, but his path this season depends heavily on how much the Patriots need to dip into that tackle depth. If the starting group holds up, the rookie may spend most of the year learning rather than playing, and that is exactly the sort of setup that can turn a promising first-round choice into a far more uncomfortable conversation before long. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Already See Something In This Rookie Corner Others Missed
Karon Prunty did not arrive in New England with the kind of draft buzz that usually follows a rookie corner, but the Patriots have seen enough in the spring to believe there is more here than his draft position suggested. Since rookie minicamp and OTAs, the 5th-round pick has drawn positive reviews for the traits that matter most to a young defensive back, especially his coverage ability and the way he has handled the learning curve.
The optimism around Prunty has also come from the people evaluating him every day, with the coaching staff and front office appearing to share the same view of him as a developmental piece worth patience. For now, the path is straightforward: help on special teams, earn trust in the secondary, and keep building toward a rotational role while the Patriots figure out just how quickly his game can translate. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Scouting Report On Undrafted DT Travis Shaw And His Roster Fight
Travis Shaw arrived in Foxborough as one of the more intriguing developmental swings on the Patriots defensive line, a massive interior body who already stands out in a room that values size and length up front. The undrafted rookie out of North Carolina and Texas played in 50 college games, but his rsum is more about experience than production, which is part of what makes his early Patriots audition worth watching.
For New England, the appeal is obvious enough: Shaw gives the staff a different kind of presence to evaluate as the roster starts to take shape after the draft. The question is whether that frame and background can translate into enough disruption to keep him in the mix for a spot on the 53-man roster, especially with the competition at defensive tackle only getting tighter as camp approaches. [Read more 🡒]