We understand if New England Patriots fans are a little on edge this morning.
Quarterback Tom Brady — the one player the Patriots can’t afford to lose heading into the AFC Championship Game — popped up on the injury report Wednesday with a right hand injury. He reportedly suffered a cut on his throwing hand in practice while making a hand-off, which is not what anyone wants to hear just days away from a showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
There’s no need to hit the panic button just yet, though. According to multiple reports, it appears Brady will be OK for Sunday’s game at Gillette Stadium.
I'm told Patriots QB Tom Brady's hand "should be OK."
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) January 18, 2018
In fact, one source was pretty definitive about Brady’s chances of playing.
#Patriots QB Tom Brady’s right hand “should be OK,” per someone close to him. Another source said simply, “He will play” after his hand was on the injury report.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 18, 2018
Few expected Brady to miss a game of this magnitude, so there’s no surprise there. But a source told ESPN’s Mike Reiss on Wednesday that the injury could “slightly” affect the 40-year-old QB on Sunday.
That’s cause for mild concern, especially against a Jaguars defense that boasts an excellent secondary and a ferocious pass rush. This wouldn’t be the first time Brady has fought through a hand ailment, though.
During a game against the Miami Dolphins midway through the 2013 season, TV cameras spotted Brady with a very swollen right hand. It later was reported that he suffered an injured ligament in that hand in October and dealt with it for the rest of the year.
Brady did struggle in that 2013 Miami game, throwing for a season-low 116 yards with one touchdown pass and one interception. New England won 27-17, though, and Brady returned to vintage form the following week, torching the Pittsburgh Steelers for 432 passing yards and four touchdowns.
He threw for 344 yards or more in four of his next five games after that, as the Patriots won six of their remaining eight contests following the Miami win.
Brady’s current hand injury appears different than that 2013 ailment, and there’s no way of knowing for sure how it will impact his performance Sunday. But we do know the five-time Super Bowl champion has overcome bumps and bruises before, and with the stakes this high, it’s hard to imagine him shrinking in the spotlight.
