The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Brady accepts risk to brain
Pats QB says he’s ‘not oblivious’ to football’s dangers.
Tom Brady doesn’t worry about concussions and considers them part of playing football, the New England Patriots quarterback says in a television interview to be broadcast this weekend.
“I’m not oblivious to them,” Brady tells 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 Bündchen, said in a May interview the quarterback has had unreported concussions and she worried about his long-term health. A joint NFL and players union investigation found this week there was no evidence that Brady or the team failed to follow league’s policies or procedures on concussions.
A five-time Super Bowl champion and two-time league MVP, Brady had one of his best seasons ever last year at age 39. After missing the first four games to serve his “Deflategate” suspension, he threw for 3,554 yards and 28 touchdowns with only two interceptions, leading the team to its fifth NFL title by rallying them from a 25-point deficit to the first overtime victory in Super Bowl history.
The network said co-host Norah O’Donnell interviewed Brady multiple times, at both his suburban Boston home and at his TB12 Sports Therapy Center near the Patriots’ stadium. Brady, 40, repeated his desire to continue playing until he is 45 — something no non-kicker has done in modern NFL history.
“I do want to go out on my terms,” he said. “I do want go out playing my best.”
The NFL has struggled to deal with the danger of concussions and the lifetime health risks they pose. The league this year agreed to pay as much as $1 billion to former players who have been diagnosed with post-concussion symptoms that could include the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
Rams: Defensive tackle Aaron Donald, whose fourmonth contract holdout kept him out of the team’s opener, will start Sunday against the Redskins. The team did not indicate how much he might play.
Giants: Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. practiced on a limited basis for the first time since spraining his left ankle more than three weeks ago.
The three-time Pro Bowler took two steps in his recovery Thursday. He took part in some individualized drills and followed that by participating in some team drills in preparation for Monday night’s home opener against the Lions.
He had not practiced since spraining his ankle in a preseason game Aug. 21.
Ravens: Placed running back Danny Woodhead on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He was hurt in the first quarter of the season opener and will be eligible to play again as soon as Week 11.
Raiders: Running back Marshawn Lynch, who came out of retirement to play for his hometown team, makes his debut in Oakland on Sunday against the Jets.
Jets: Linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin has a herniated disk
in his back that likely will need season-ending surgery. He was already on injured reserve.
Titans: Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey (lower back) did not practice for a second straight day but is expected to practice today.
Lions: The fan who posted a racist comment about two other fans on the social media site Snapchat is no longer a season-ticket holder, the team said. The fan, who the team has not identified, posted a picture of two African American fans sitting for the national anthem during Sunday’s season opener against the Cardinals with the caption “Ignorant (expletives).”
According to the Lions’ fan code of conduct, fans can have their tickets revoked for actions including inappropriate behavior.