NFL: Year off with injury builds Brady's love of football

Bee News Services

E-Mail

Comments (0)

Text Size:

tool goes here

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — In the almost nine months since Tom Brady was last seen on a football field, he's added a wife, a few pounds and a knee brace that won't let him forget the injury that cost him all of last season.

"The reality is, in this sport, you really never know. Any day could be your last day in football," the New England Patriots quarterback told a crush of reporters after practice on Thursday.

"I don't think about the end too often. Hopefully this is still, relatively, in the early part of my career."

In his first news conference since torn knee ligaments finished his 2008 season in the opening game, Brady said he has moved on from the injury. But his comments showed that he's used some of his time off to think about the role football plays in his life.

Having married supermodel Gisele Bundchen and spent some extra time with his 21-month-old son, Jack, Brady said he's grown more appreciative of the things that are important to him.

One of them is football.

"I think when you sit on the sidelines for an entire year you realize how much you love it. ... You experience things in a much different way, and a way that I never experienced as an athlete," he said. "I love being out here. I love participating and being around these guys."

A two-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player and the NFL MVP in 2007, Brady crumpled to the ground last September when he was tackled in the pocket by Kansas City Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard.

He had surgery in October and then another to clear up an infection, and he wore a knee brace under his long sweat pants on Thursday.

"You wake up the next day and think, 'Was that a dream? Because that's not really how I thought it was going to go,' " Brady said. "I think I felt bad for myself that night, and I think I moved on after that. Since then, it's about trying to get better."

• 49ERS SIGN PASCOE — The San Francisco 49ers have signed tight end Bear Pascoe, their sixth-round draft pick. The former Fresno State star inked a four-year deal with the 49ers, becoming the fourth of San Francisco's seven picks to sign. Pascoe caught 85 passes for 953 yards over the past two seasons with the Bulldogs. He's expected to play on special teams for the 49ers while filling departed Billy Bajema's role as a blocking specialist on offense.

• CHARGERS STADIUM — The San Diego Chargers on Thursday rejected a developer's proposal to build a $1 billion stadium as part of a redevelopment of the land surrounding Qualcomm Stadium, saying the project would be too enormous for the Mission Valley site.

• BRONCOS RELEASE ARRINGTON — J.J. Arrington's career with the Denver Broncos was halted before he even took his first handoff when the team released the tailback following a failed a physical due to a balky right knee. Arrington signed a four-year deal worth about $10 million in early March and figured to be a third-down specialist for the Broncos in 2009.

• EX-LIONS GREAT DIES — Former Lions defensive back and receiver Terry Barr, a rookie on Detroit's last championship team in 1957, died Thursday. He was 73.