Terry Bradshaw has some contrarian thoughts on “modern” football, and he’s not afraid to tell the world. Whether it’s about the true NFL GOAT or the difference between how the game was played back in his day vs how it is now, he has something to say.
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While Tom Brady is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time, backed by seven Super Bowl rings and a mountain of NFL and New England Patriots records, Bradshaw, his FOX colleague and a four-time Super Bowl champion, doesn’t quite buy into the consensus.
Appearing on the Nothing Left Unsaid podcast, Bradshaw questioned Brady’s place atop the all-time list. He pointed instead to Cleveland Browns legend Otto Graham.
“I always hear people say, ‘Tom Brady’s the greatest quarterback to ever play.’ OK, is he really? Otto Graham may be the greatest quarterback to ever play,” Bradshaw, who played in the NFL from 1970 to 1983 with the Steelers, said.
Graham played from 1946-1955 and won seven championships, three NFL titles, and four AAFC titles. He lost three, matching Brady’s championship win/loss record.
“How many titles did Otto win? Look it up. And Tom lost three. I was 4-0. [Joe] Montana was 4-0. Tom was 7-3. Seven minus three is four. Four, four, four. That’s kind of the way I look at it,” said Bradshaw.
However, Bradshaw failed to mention the contextual gap. Graham competed in leagues with just seven to 13 teams, while Brady navigated an NFL with 31 to 32 teams during his time. But that wasn’t all.
Bradshaw had another gripe to settle with the modern football world. The Steelers legend spoke about being left off a recent top-25 quarterbacks list, but he didn’t pretend to be bothered. Instead, he pivoted to a point about play-calling autonomy. And what a quarterback’s job looked like in the good ol’ days.
“You’re not even in the top 25. Well, I’m not going to lose any sleep over that,” Bradshaw joked. “I’ll tell you. Did Tom Brady call his own plays? No. Did Peyton Manning call it? No. You know, I called all my plays. Super Bowl—those are my plays. I didn’t flip a card up and go number five.”
Terry Bradshaw on calling his own plays:
“Did Tom Brady call his own plays no. Did Peyton Manning call it no. I called all my plays. Super Bowls those are my plays they were not sent in.”
🎥Nothing Left unsaid pic.twitter.com/nyabc1YegT
— Matthew Luciow (@matthewluciow92) November 13, 2025
In his four Super Bowl appearances, Bradshaw threw for 932 yards, nine touchdowns, and four interceptions, posting an elite 112.8 passer rating. Those numbers, he believes, reflect his command of the offense.
Still, Bradshaw wasn’t just in a critical mood. At 77, he says he loves today’s game, praising modern offenses and the way current quarterbacks sling the ball around.
“I love the way they play today, Tim. I love the way these quarterbacks play, I love the way they throw it,” said Bradshaw. “And I would’ve loved to be a part of this new-age football. I would’ve loved to make $50 million. Can you imagine?”
Whether fans agree with him or not, Bradshaw has once again added fuel to the endless GOAT debate. This time with a reminder that play-calling, perfection, and personal pride still matter in the quarterback conversation.
