Ex-NFL star takes issue with Tom Brady's critical words of league's play: 'He hasn’t been retired that long'

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Barry Sanders wasn’t the only one who pushed back on Tom Brady’s critical assessment of today’s NFL.

Three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Alex Smith pushed back on Brady’s description of the product on the field. While Brady pointed out the so-called "mediocrity" on the field, Smith took the opposite approach.

"First off, 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 started.

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New England quarterback Tom Brady shakes hands with Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith after the Chiefs defeated the Patriots 41-14 at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 29, 2014. (Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

"My biggest complaint with this, and no offense to you guys – well, all three of you guys," he said while pointing to his ESPN colleagues Randy Moss, Tedy Bruschi and Rex Ryan, "he played in the most uncompetitive division, I think, in NFL history."

He described the AFC East when Brady played with the New England Patriots as a "cupcake division."

"You got a ticket to the playoffs right away, talk about mediocre," Smith added. "I completely disagree with this. I know he’s referencing the rule changes over the middle of the receiver but in my opinion, I think that game has gotten better."

Brady appeared on "The Stephen A. Show" and took to task the "mediocrity" that he has seen in the NFL.

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Tom Brady of the New England Patriots talks with Alex Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs after their game at