Bucs' Tom Brady: Players Changing Jersey Numbers Is 'Good Advantage' for Defense

With some time to mull over the topic, Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Tom Brady remains steadfastly against the NFL's new uniform rules.

The quarterback said in April that allowing players at certain positions to change their numbers is "going to make for a lot of bad football."

The seven-time Super Bowl champion elaborated on his thoughts with the Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud:

"The number rule is crazy. Literally, guys changed their numbers today. I’m playing two guys who had different numbers in the preseason. So, yeah you’ve got to watch film and know who you’re studying but so do running backs. They’ve got to know who to block. So does the offensive line. So does the receivers who are adjusting their routes based on blitzes."

"So one guys has got a 6, one guy has 11, one guy has got a 9. And they change every play when you break your routes and get to your spot. It’s going to be a very challenging thing. It’s a good advantage for the defense, which that’s what it is."

At least for the first few weeks of the 2021 season, seeing a linebacker or defensive back with a jersey number in the single digits may look a bit odd. For players on offense, it could create some confusion as well, and pausing for only a split second could be enough to cause serious problems during a play.

Brady may be exaggerating the extent to which this will be an issue once games begin, though. This has been the norm in college football for years, so the sport shouldn't be on the verge of total anarchy.

Just like any adjustment, the visual of Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey wearing the No. 5 jersey should quickly come to feel normal after a game or two.

In the event defensive players did benefit disproportionately from the change, it would be seemingly be something that Brady would welcome.

During a players' chat on the Buccaneers' official site, the future Hall of Famer explained how various rule changes across the NFL have made life too easy for offensive players. In addition he asserted that referees "penalize defensive players for offensive mistakes" (via Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio).

Now, defenders may have one small way to game the system against their offensive counterparts.