Alex Smith Calls Out Tom Brady for NFL Diss, Playing in 'Uncompetitive' AFC East

Alex Smith isn't buying Tom Brady's criticism of the current state of the NFL.

The former 49ers, Chiefs and Commanders quarterback called out Brady for bemoaning the quality of the game when he was playing as recently as last season.

"He hasn't been retired that long. He was just playing. He just won a Super Bowl in the 'current game.' Is he discounting that one?" Smith said on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown.

Brady ripped into the current NFL, saying rule changes and coaching led to rampant "mediocrity" across the sport, during an appearance on the Stephen A. Smith Show.

"I think there's a lot of mediocrity in today's NFL," Brady said. "I don't see the excellence that I saw in the past.

"I think the coaching isn't as good as it was. I don't think the development of the young players is as good as it was. The rules have allowed a lot of bad habits to get into the actual performance of the game. I just think the product, in my opinion, is less than what it's been."

Smith vehemently disagreed with the sentiment, saying he feels the current game is better than the one he spent his career playing.

"I completely disagree with this. I know he's talking about the rule over the middle over the field to the receiver. But in my opinion, I think the game has gotten better," Smith said.

Smith also took time to rip into Brady's own competition throughout his NFL career, calling out the laughable state of the AFC East.

"He played in the most uncompetitive division in NFL history. I mean, you come out of training camp in the biggest cupcake division, you got a ticket to the playoffs right away. Like, talk about mediocre," Smith said.

Smith is in his third season as an analyst for ESPN, and this is certainly among his staunchest stances. It will be interesting to see if Brady has any retort.