Tom Brady Returns To Field For Patriots In Preseason Opener
FOXBORO (CBS) -- Nobody keeps Brady on the sideline.
The quarterback missed practice on Tuesday in preparation for his meeting in court on Wednesday. That meeting cost him a day of preparation as well, and so it seemed as though Tom Brady would not be playing when the Patriots opened their preseason on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.
Yet around 6:44 p.m., Jay-Z's "Public Service Announcement" blared over the stadium speakers, and Brady took the field for warmups in full uniform.
And at 7:48 p.m., after the New England defense came up with a goal-line stand of Aaron Rodgers' Packers, Brady broke the huddle in the New England end zone and got back to work.
Brady's first play called for him to get rid of the ball quickly, and he overthrew Josh Boyce, who was well covered on the play. After a rushing play, Brady went back to Boyce, this time peppering a pass right into the third-year receiver's hands. Boyce let it slip right through, and the Patriots were forced to punt.
It was not exactly a moment made for the movies, but it nevertheless represented the most pleasant sight of Brady that Patriots fans have had since early February.
And after the New England defense came up with another turnover on downs, Brady got a second chance, this time with much better field position.
Standing in a shotgun formation with an empty backfield, Brady took a snap from his own 34-yard line and hit Brandon Gibson on a slant for a gain of 10. Two Jonas Gray rushes set up a third-and-4 at midfield, and Brady once again took a shotgun snap. He fired a pass over the middle, which Michael Hoomanawanui was only able to get one hand on. The pass fluttered to the ground, the Patriots were forced to punt, and Brady's short night was over.
The 1-for-4, 10-yard performance probably won't go down in the annals of Brady's great performances, but it was his presence that took precedent over his actual performance on this night.
It was, of course, a long time coming, as Patriots fans have been forced to endure the endless barrage of "DeflateGate" stories which have been flooding the news cycle since January. After seeing Brady painted in such a negative light for so long, the home crowd was eager to see Brady the way they've grown accustomed to over the years.
Brady is coming off a season in which he threw 33 touchdowns and nine interceptions before earning his third Super Bowl MVP Award and fourth Super Bowl victory.
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