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QB Tom Brady is out of sight during the Patriots' first Super Bowl practice.

By MIKE LOWE January 25, 2008

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — We saw plenty of Tom Brady and his booted right foot earlier this week, didn't we? First he was limping from a car to his girlfriend Giselle Bundchen's apartment in New York City. Then he and Giselle were out for a night on the town.

Funny, we - meaning the media covering the New England Patriots as they prepare for their Feb. 3 Super Bowl date with the New York Giants in Glendale, Ariz. - didn't see any of Brady or his right foot on Thursday.

No interviews. No appearance during the 15-minute period when the media can watch the team stretch and run some basic drills.

Coincidence?

Doubtful.

It's just the way things are done in Foxborough: anything to add a little mystery to a topic that's already been blown out of proportion. Heck, there hasn't been this much attention paid to a foot since Cinderella lost her glass slipper.

The media had its first access to the Patriots on Thursday since they beat San Diego 21-12 on Sunday to win their fourth AFC championship in seven years.

Brady would normally address the media, but not this time. After Coach Bill Belichick held his press conference, Richard Seymour, Adalius Thomas and Mike Vrabel came to the podium.

But not Brady.

Belichick was his usual self, which means he didn't add anything to the subject.

Asked to comment on Brady's foot and his health, Belichick replied, "No. I don't have any comment on it."

Asked if Brady would practice, Belichick said, "Well, we'll go out there. I don't know."

Then, with a wry smile, he added, "The injury report will be out next Wednesday and we're excited to give that to you. That form will be filled out completely and I can't wait to give that to everybody. I know you're anxious for it, so when it's due on Wednesday, we'll have it for you. Don't worry about that."

Good joke.

When asked if he would classify this as a nonissue if he were a member of the media, Belichick said, "Portray it however you want."

The players weren't a lot more helpful. As Seymour said, "I have as much information as you."

This much we do know. Brady has started 126 consecutive games -- including playoff games -- since taking over from Drew Bledsoe in the second game of the 2001 season. He's done it despite being listed on the injury report each week since the start of the 2003 season with a "right shoulder" injury. The injury occurred on Dec. 29, 2002, the final game of the team's last non-playoff season.

His teammates expect him to be out there against the Giants.

"I know he'll be ready to play, he always is." said fullback Heath Evans.

Running back Kevin Faulk saw the coverage of Brady's foot and laughed.

"It's crazy," he said.

Asked what he made of the coverage, Faulk said, "Nothing at all. Change the channel. Because I know what type of person and what type of player Tom is."

The players all have confidence that he'll be ready to play in the Super Bowl.

And besides, even if the media didn't see Brady practice Thursday during its 15-minute window (backups Matt Cassel and Matt Gutierrez threw the ball well), that doesn't mean he didn't show up immediately after the media was cleared out and joined his teammates.

We don't know.

It's part of the mystery.

As Evans said, "You know how we do injuries around here, so he looks fine to me."

We'll see.

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:
mlowe@pressherald.com

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