Brady accepts football’s risks
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady doesn’t worry about concussions and considers them part of playing football, he said in a television interview to be broadcast this weekend. “I’m not oblivious to them,” Brady told CBS Sunday Morning. “I mean, I understand the risks that, you know, come with the physical nature of our game.” Brady’s wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, had said in a May interview that the quarterback has had unreported concussions and she worried about his long-term health. A joint NFL and players union investigation concluded this week that there was no evidence that the five-time Super Bowl champion and two-time league MVP or the team failed to follow the league’s policies or procedures on concussions. CBS said co-host Norah O’Donnell interviewed Brady multiple times, including at his suburban Boston home. Brady, 40, repeated his desire to continue playing until he is 45 — something no non-kicker has done in modern NFL history.
HOCKEY
› NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators couldn’t be happier to return to work after their painful loss in the Stanley Cup Final this summer, the end of a deep playoff run that made for the shortest offseason in franchise history. “I feel like it’s been enough time,” goaltender Pekka Rinne said Thursday. “… Enough time to get ready, enough time to work, train and be off the ice and get your body recovered and also ready.” Many of the Predators have been skating together for the past three weeks, and 20 of them helped the NFL’s Tennessee Titans kick off their season last weekend as the honorary 12th Titan. They reported Thursday to Bridgestone Arena for the start of training camp, and they spoke in a hallway outside the visitors’ locker room with renovations to their own not finished yet for the Western Conference champs. They hit the ice today for testing, followed by the first practice Saturday. Center Ryan Johansen said it feels awesome to get back to work and see teammates again with the offseason over after a painful loss to Pittsburgh in six games in June. “Everyone’s always looking forward to a fresh start, new season,” Johansen said. “Looking forward to get things going.”