Tom Brady’s injured throwing hand has dominated storylines ahead of the New England Patriots’ bout with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
While Brady reportedly could wear a glove Sunday depending on the temperature at Gillette Stadium, Patriots owner Robert Kraft revealed on NFL Network that the quarterback’s injury “wasn’t as severe” as it could have been.
#Patriots owner Robert Kraft on @nflnetwork, on Tom Brady's hand: "Sometimes freak accidents happen & thank goodness it wasn’t as severe as we thought it could be. But you don’t know and today will be a great test. There isn’t anyone who is mentally tougher and prepares harder."
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 21, 2018
The 40-year-old quarterback reportedly injured his hand in a botched hand-off to Rex Burkhead in practice Wednesday. Brady missed practice Thursday but was “zinging it” during Friday’s practice, according to reports.
Brady’s hand injury, of course, isn’t the only drama the Patriots have had to deal with this postseason. ESPN’s much-discussed investigative piece detailing a reported rift between Brady, Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick dropped during the Patriots’ first-round bye week, and whether or not there is some truth to the report, Kraft noted he is confident he can keep the triumvirate together.
#Patriots owner Robert Kraft, on @nflnetwork, saying that he believes he can keep Tom Brady and Bill Belichick together for the foreseeable future: "Everyone has to get their egos checked in and get it together."
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 21, 2018
The Patriots will play in their seventh consecutive AFC Championship Game and 12th of the Brady-Belichick era on Sunday, with a chance to go to their eighth Super Bowl hanging in the balance.
