Brady: I’m ready
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said yesterday he’s ready to play, but coach Bill Belichick wouldn’t say whether or not his starter is ready to go for the season opener against the Chiefs on Sunday.
“If it’s up to me, there’s no question. But those questions aren’t always up to me,” said Brady, who has had a sore right foot that has sidelined him throughout the four preseason games.
“I’m always hoping that I’m going to be out there and preparing the same way. I think I have been getting progressively better over the last couple of weeks. I’m excited, excited to start the year.”
Asked if he expected Brady to start, Belichick flashed a small smile.
“We will prepare all the players during the week,” Belichick said. “We will give you the injury report on Friday. We will give you the practice report after we practice.”
That being said, it would take an epic injury to keep Brady out of Sunday’s game against Kansas City. He is one of the most durable quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, having made 127 consecutive starts, the third-longest streak in league history, a string that dates back to September 2001. (He trails only Brett Favre at 274 and Peyton Manning at 172.)
And while he did not play in any of the four preseason games, he reminded reporters yesterday that he was on the practice field more often than not throughout training camp.
“I practiced a lot this preseason. I was out there quite a bit,” he said. “It was just the last couple of weeks I didn’t practice as much or play.”
Besides, he added, Randy Moss was out almost the entire preseason last year. And look how that turned out for him.
“It didn’t affect him a whole lot,” Brady said of Moss, who finished last season with an NFL record 23 touchdown receptions. “I am hoping it doesn’t affect me a whole lot.”
His teammates are certainly ready for his return.
“The whole team is ready for Tom to come back,” Moss told reporters on Sunday. “He is the leader of this team. He does some great things out there on the field with the ball.”
