Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his knee injury
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady left practice early Wednesday, several minutes after suffering a left knee injury at the end of a passing play.
Two league sources said Brady suffered a sprain and the injury is not considered serious.
The injury happened during 11-on-11 work – with the Patriots practicing in full pads against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady was looking to his right, and threw a long pass toward Aaron Dobson, when to his left, tackle Nate Solder was bull-rushed by Tampa Bay defensive end Adrian Clayborn.
Clayborn pushed Solder backward, right into Brady – who went down to the grass. Brady rocked backward and then sat there for a minute holding his left knee.
Tom Brady.
Tom Brady walked off the field under his own power. Several teammates didn’t think he was hurt badly when he grabbed his left knee after being knocked down.
Yet the possibility that the New England Patriots might lose their star quarterback caused a scare at the team’s joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wednesday.
A person with knowledge of the injury said an MRI was negative and Brady was day-to-day with a left knee sprain. Asked if Brady might play Friday night in an exhibition game against the Buccaneers – the person said he didn’t know.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Patriots didn’t make an announcement.
The two-time league MVP had a season-ending injury to the same knee in the 2008 opener.
Brady was injured midway through practice Wednesday when left tackle Nate Solder was pushed into him by Tampa Bay defensive end Adrian Clayborn. Brady, entering his 14th NFL season, fell, rocked backward on the ground and held his left knee.
Brady’s left knee injury in Wednesday’s practice is only the latest bit of news to send Patriots Nation into full-blown panic mode. The good news is that while Brady did suffer a sprain, according to two league sources, it doesn’t appear to be serious.
He walked off the field under his own power and even returned to the huddle for a few snaps before deciding to call it a day and head inside with the trainer.
“I’m under the impression that it’s probably not that serious, but that’s not a definitive answer” – team president Jonathan Kraft said in the ramps of Gillette Stadium.
But typing the words “Brady” and “knee sprain” in the same sentence is never a good thing, even if he doesn’t miss much practice time. This was the same knee in which Brady tore his ACL in 2008, and the team won’t know for certain how long he’ll have to sit out until evaluating him again Thursday.