Tom Brady wore the gloves again. It is two days before the Patriots play in the AFC title game against the Jaguars.
The QB reportedly jammed his throwing hand in practice on Wednesday and the status of his paw has been under scrutiny ever since. Brady donned the pair of red gloves on Thursday, but the team officially said he didn’t participate in practice. The Patriots, as is their usual practice, are doing what they can to avoid answering questions about the injury. The media wasn’t allowed to see Brady throw on either day, but he did stretch and clench his fist today:
Brady was supposed to speak to the media on Wednesday and Thursday, but both sessions were canceled. He showed up to his scheduled appearance today—still wearing the gloves—and wouldn’t talk about his hand. When asked by a reporter why he was wearing gloves inside, Brady said, “I’ve worn them before.” A second reporter asked him what the deal was with the gloves, and the QB said, “She [the first reporter] already asked that.”
Head coach Bill Belichick, for his part, had the expected amount to say about Brady’s injury today:
Q: Do you have an update on Tom Brady’s status for Sunday?
BB: Yeah, we gave out the injury report yesterday. We’ll update it today.
[...]
Q: Now that Brady is dealing with this injury, do you have any regrets about trading Jimmy Garoppolo?
BB: We’re getting ready for Jacksonville.
Q: Does it look like Brady’s playing status might be a game-time decision?
BB: Today’s Friday.
Fact check: It is indeed Friday.
For what it’s worth, here’s what ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported this morning:
A source said Brady’s hand “should be OK” for Sunday’s game, while another source acknowledged that it could affect him “slightly” in the game, but Brady is moving forward with the belief that he will be able to carry out his role effectively.