NFL analyst on whether Tom Brady has started to decline: 'of course he has'

One NFL analyst doesn't think Brady's decline is coming, but rather has already begun.

There is a general consensus that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will play into his mid-40s, because that's what the 42-year-old has proclaimed himself and because, well, we have no reason to not believe him. 

But the real question isn't how long Brady will play for, but how long will he play at a high-level? The answer to that question will ultimately decide not just how long he will play in the NFL, but how long the Patriots organization will keep him as their starting quarterback. 

Cris Collinsworth, a Sunday Night Football broadcaster for NBC, says that's Brady's decline has undoubtedly already begun. 

Here is what he had to says on FS1's "The Herd" with Collin Cowherd. 

“I don’t think you get to 40-whatever he is, 41 1/2, 42 years old and you don’t decline in some way,” Collinsworth said. “I mean, Tom Brady used to be able to throw a ball about as far as anybody in the league. Now, there are some guys,  the Michael Vicks of the world, that really were off the chart with how they could throw it, but you go back to 2007 and some of those balls that he (Brady) threw to Randy Moss would take your breath away. 

"Probably the one I remember most was in the Super Bowl where they were getting beat and he sort of moved at the end of the game, they’re behind, have to take a big shot. Moved slightly to his right and threw one back across the field and the guy made a really nice play on or it could have been the greatest play in Super Bowl history and that thing had to go 65, 70 yards in the air."

“So, has he declined? Of course he has. But if you’re declining and winning Super Bowls, that’s pretty good, right? Howie Long used to say that as your physical elevator starts to go down, your mental elevator starts to go up and I think that’s true for Tom Brady, too.”