Tom Brady surprisingly was held out of Thursday’s preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears. We now know why.
The Patriots quarterback did not play against the Bears because he “sliced his right thumb with a pair of scissors” before the game, CSNNE.com’s Tom E. Curran reported.
“Apparently, Brady was trying to pry something from the bottom of his cleat prior to taking the field and sustained the cut,” Curran wrote. “It’s not known whether the cut required stitches or how long the wound will put him on the sidelines.”
It was widely reported that Brady, who missed New England’s preseason opener last week, would start under center Thursday night, with Patriots coach Bill Belichick even saying in a pregame interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub that Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett all would play.
Brady did not join his teammates on the field for warmups, however, and NESN’s Gary Striewski reported seeing the quarterback leaving Gillette Stadium less than a half-hour before kickoff. Curran notes “(i)t is standard practice for the Patriots to let players who are not playing in preseason games to leave the stadium.”
Brady is eligible to play in the Patriots’ final two preseason games if he is healthy enough to do so. He is suspended for the first four weeks of the regular season as punishment for his role in Deflategate.
UPDATE (9:05 p.m. ET): Some additional details on Brady’s condition:
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
