Former Green Bay Packers wide receiver James Jones talks with media outside Lambeau Field before the start of the Packers' Road Trip to visit fans at locations across Wisconsin on July 22, 2021, in Green Bay, Wis. Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Former WR James Jones blasts Ben Roethlisberger over Tom Brady comments

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 10/20/22

Former wide receiver and current NFL Network personality James Jones clearly didn't love that retired Pittsburgh Steelers legendary quarterback Ben Roethlisberger recently questioned if Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting signal-caller Tom Brady is fully dedicated to the cause.

"I wish I was sitting there watching the game with Big Ben because I would've said, 'Big Ben, shut up!'" Jones remarked during an appearance on the "First Things First" FS1 program, according to Dave Clark of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "Because if there's anything we know about Tom Brady, Tom Brady's gonna give you everything he's got. If he didn't care, he wouldn't be yelling at his linemen, dropping all those F-bombs and all of that. And for Big Ben to say that - you are the king of looking like you don't care out there.

"Every time you get hit — every time something goes bad — your body language is the worst out there. I've seen it with my own two eyes on the same field competing against you. For him to say this about Tom Brady knowing that … it ain't about the passion that Tom Brady plays with. So for Big Ben to say that, that's crazy."

Roethlisberger generated headlines when he said on the recent edition of his "Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger" podcast that "it didn't look like (Brady) wanted to be out there" during Tampa Bay's loss at the Steelers this past Sunday that dropped the Buccaneers to 3-3 on the campaign. Since that game, multiple observers and analysts have speculated that Brady could return to the retirement he first embraced this past winter before the 2022 NFL season ends.

Brady insisted on Thursday that's not in his plans.

"I love the sport, and I love the teammates," Brady responded to a question about possibly riding off into the sunset this fall, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "And I want to go do a great job for this team like I always have. No retirement in my future."

Brady and the Bucs play at the 1-5 Carolina Panthers this Sunday afternoon.

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