Patriots' QB Brady Still Gimpy
New England Quarterback Tom Brady Still Limping From Injury
Several media outlets report that Pats' quarterback Tom Brady is still limping from an injury to his right ankle nearly ten days ago.
New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady is still limping days after injuring his right ankle in the AFC Championship game.
According to the Boston Globe, the Super Bowl XLII-bound quarterback was spotted limping at the Patriots’ practice session Monday in sun-laden Arizona where the Pats will face the New York Giants Sunday. Previously, Brady insisted he’d be ready to play Feb. 3.
Not surprisingly, Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick refused to comment on Brady’s injury, which is said to be a “mild high ankle sprain.”
"Everybody practiced," coach Bill Belichick told a pool reporter. "The injury report will be out Wednesday [Jan. 30]." More than 4,300 media credentials were issued for the Super Bowl, making pool reporting a necessity. New England is holding its practice sessions at Arizona State's Sun Devil Stadium.
Brady tweaked his ankle during the third quarter of the championship contest against the San Diego Chargers. The Patriots need him to come up big against the Giants. He wasn’t his usual, effective self against San Diego, although he hit on 22 of 33 pass attempts.
After landing in Phoenix Sunday night, Brady acknowledged the injury, but refused to discuss it any further after that time. Several media sources claimed that he declined to enumerate on the gimpy ankle thereafter, remarking, "I just … try not to say too much to get my coach mad at me." At practice on Monday Brady endured the entire hour and 40 minute workout, and twice jogged the length of the field at the conclusion of practice.
But the Providence Journal disputed those reports, quoting Brady as saying, “My ankle feels good. My ankle feels great. I practiced a full day yesterday [Monday]. I think we had one incompletion in practice. It feels great.”
Brady didn’t practice last week after the team had three days off following their win in the AFC Championship game. He said the down time helped.
“I’m glad we had the week off and I had the chance to rest a little bit. I really feel that by the game it’s going to feel great, and there will be no issues. Not that I can run anyway, but hopefully I’ll be able to skirt around some of those guys who are trying to tear my head off.”
The quarterback was videotaped Jan. 21 with an orthopedic boot on his right foot while in New York City visiting his supermodel girlfriend, Gisele Bundchen. That was the last time he was seen wearing the boot, although he didn’t practice last week at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots’ home field in Foxborough, Mass.
Defending Tom Terrific
Offensive lineman Matt Light, assigned to fending off New York defensive end Osi Umenyiora, said Brady will be ready to answer the bell. "I'm not worried about that," he said. "If he's out there, he's going to get after it. I'm sure of that one."
Brady alluded to the job he needs from his front line, declaring, "[They] have to keep No. 72 [Umenyiora] and No. 92 [defensive end Michael Strahan] off me -- if we can keep those two far away from me, we might get the outcome we all want."
In a lighter moment, TV Azteca reporter Ines Gomez Mont showed up for media day Tuesday dressed in a wedding gown, and proposed to Brady. He declined, but did sign an autograph for her.
The Patriots are attempting to extend their overall record to an unprecedented 19-0 with a Super Bowl victory.
