How Should QBs Throw Footballs Into the Wind? Tom Brady Is Here to Help

Listen up, quarterbacks. Professor Tom Brady's class is now in session.

While on the call for FOX's broadcast of Sunday's San Francisco 49ers-Philadelphia Eagles game, Brady offered savvy advice to QBs on how to control the football in windy conditions. His point of emphasis was that the plane of the ball has to be pointing straight ahead, so the wind doesn't take it off course.

"When you're throwing into the wind, [the plane of the ball] has to be neutral," Brady said. "If the point of the ball is up, any wind friction is going to point that ball up over the top. So, as a quarterback, you don't really like that ‘U’ throw [with your hand] underneath because, naturally, that's going to tip the point of the ball up. You'd like [to make] more of a ‘C’ or a reverse ‘C' [with your throwing hand.] 

"That's how you kind of control the point of the ball. Then, you can kind of just snap it off as you throw it. But, in these windy conditions, you can't be underneath the ball. There's too much wind surface on the ball to knock it off its path."

Essentially, Brady advises quarterbacks not to point the ball upward when throwing in windy conditions. But the visual of him explaining it would also help, as he showed how to properly grip a football while throwing into the wind. 

The wind gusts for Sunday's 49ers-Eagles were at least 20 mph, per FOX Weather. There was an issue with unfurling the American flag during the pregame festivities and then, early in the game, one of the blue medical tents got flipped over due to a strong gust. Not coincidentally, each kicker missed an extra-point attempt during Sunday's game.

Neither quarterback had a strong day throwing the ball, either. Of course, in Brock Purdy's case, he was going against a