Joe Montana Thinks Tom Brady Can Play Until He’s 60

Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana doesn't foresee a 60-year-old Tom Brady playing bingo at the local VFW or greeting customers at Tampa area Walmarts. Montana envisions Brady's sixth decade to look a lot like the previous four -- with Brady under center.

"He could play until maybe 60," Montana told USA Today Sports.

Montana, whom Brady idolized growing up, feels as though the NFL's rules that largely prohibit defenders from contacting quarterbacks would allow Brady to start at quarterback as a grandpa.

“They don’t even touch him. He’s hardly ever getting hit," Montana joked to USA Today. "So, he could play until maybe 60, I don’t know. It’s always about the physical part. How long can you handle that part of it?”

Now in his 22nd year in the league, Brady's largely been able to avoid injury. In fact, the Bucs' signal caller hasn't missed a game due to injury since the 2008 season, thanks in part to the NFL's willingness to protect the game's most important position.

“The way it is with the rules today, he just doesn’t take those big hits anymore. Yeah, he gets hit on occasion, but it’s never one of those, ‘300 pounds compressing you into the ground,'" added Montana, per USA Today. "They stopped that from being legal. They just don’t do that anymore."

60 is probably a bit of a stretch, but as long as the offensive line keeps him upright, Brady's more than capable of sticking around for another few seasons.

"As long as you can protect him in there, he’ll stay in there, and they’re not gonna hit him," said Montana. "So yeah, he’ll play as long as he can keep performing like that.”

You know what they say, 60's the new 30...