Will Brady play Sunday? Don’t bother asking the quarterback or his coach
So, Tom Brady, are you playing in Sunday’s AFC championship game?
“I’m not talking about it … We’ll see,” the New England Patriots quarterback said at his Friday afternoon news conference, which revealed absolutely nothing about the nature of the right-hand injury he suffered Wednesday, nor how it might hinder him if he plays against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
He’s officially listed as questionable.
More information, however, came to light by Friday evening.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Brady “suffered a cut to his right thumb” at Wednesday’s practice and “the cut was gushing blood and required stitches.”
A couple hours earlier Friday, Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola let a cat out of the bag, unless he was sandbagging everyone.
Asked if Brady participated in Friday’s practice, after leaving Wednesday’s early and not practising at all Thursday, Amendola said: “He did. He looked good ... Like Tom Brady.”
Rapoport’s source added Brady was “zinging it pretty good” Friday.
Neither Brady nor head coach Bill Belichick provided a glimmer of insight at their respective Friday news conferences. See if you can glean anything from Brady’s answers ...
Did he throw any footballs at practice Friday?
“I’m not talking about that,” Brady said, still wearing warmweather football gloves on both hands.
Did he practise Friday?
“I was out there.”
How confident is he that he’ll play Sunday?
“We’ll see.”
What happened to his throwing hand at Wednesday’s practice? “I’m not talking about it.” Why was he wearing outdoor gloves indoors?
“I have worn them before.” This is how the Patriots do things.
In crises especially, we seldom get one morsel of information beyond the minimum disclosure required by the NFL, which on Fridays before Sunday games is this: a team is required to provide the public with a report listing any players who either did not practise or were limited participants at practice — and, if still injured heading into the weekend, the status of each injured player from among three choices: questionable, doubtful or out.
On Friday afternoon, the Patriots disclosed that Brady practised on a limited basis, and that he is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.
Belichick’s cloaked utterances hours earlier at his news conference made the transcript from Brady’s read like the Pentagon Papers from a revelations standpoint.
Asked to provide an update on Brady’s status, Belichick grumbled: “We gave out the injury report yesterday and we’ll update it today.”
Any regrets now about trading backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco in October?
“We’re getting ready for Jacksonville.”
Will Brady’s status against Jacksonville come down to a game-time decision? “Today’s Friday.”
With only two quarterbacks on the roster as of Friday morning — Brady and ninth-year pro Brian Hoyer — might New England sign a third quarterback, in case Brady can’t play Sunday?
“We’re going to get ready for Jacksonville, do the best that we can, make the best decisions that we can to do that. So that’s what we’re going to do,” Belichick said.
How much has Brady’s injury complicated the Patriots’ planning for the Jaguars?
“I don’t know.”
Does Belichick have any concerns about what Brady might or might not be able to do well as a thrower on Sunday?
“I don’t know. We’ll see.” We sure will.
For the second straight day, local reporters and cameramen saw Brady in uniform, seemingly ready to practise. But for the second straight day, as per team protocol, they were not permitted to observe anything beyond pre-practice stretching, and did not see one quarterback throw a single football.
Perhaps the most telling news nugget before kickoff Sunday would come in the Patriots’ signing of a third quarterback.
That would suggest the Pats aren’t sure whether Brady can play, so to be safe they hire an emergency replacement for Hoyer.
Then again, these are the mindmessing Patriots of Belichick.
Would you put it past him to sign such a quarterback, just to get the Jaguars thinking Brady might not play, when he can? Of course not.
Not that the Jaguars would believe it.
Asked Friday if he discussed Brady’s hand injury with his team, Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone said: “No. Tommy will play. We know that.”
At least someone outside the Patriots’ locker-room does. Or at least outside Amendola. Asked Friday how confident he was that Brady would answer the bell Sunday, the ninth-year receiver said: “Tom always tends to show up in big games. This is a big game.”