Only one injury — a torn ACL in 2008 — has knocked Tom Brady out of games since he took over as the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback in 2001. Jimmy Garoppolo injured his shoulder in his second start and could miss Thursday night’s game because of the reported AC joint sprain.
The Patriots are using Brady’s toughness to push Garoppolo “to be ready as quickly as possible,” sources told the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe on Tuesday. Brady has played multiple games during his career with a similar injury, and the Patriots are reminding Garoppolo of this to pressure him to play, according to Howe.
Garoppolo still is having trouble lifting his throwing arm because of the shoulder injury, acccording to Howe, so it’s unlikely he’ll start Thursday’s game against the Houston Texans. The Patriots only have one other quarterback on their roster — rookie Jacoby Brissett — so it seems Garoppolo would serve as the backup against the Texans. The Patriots have two players — wide receiver Julian Edelman and tight end AJ Derby — who played quarterback in college.
Garoppolo was limited in practice Tuesday, though he wasn’t spotted during the beginning portion of practice open to the media.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
