Scuttlebutt Central: Brady Calms Talk Just By Practicing

Jan 29, 03:48 AM

Jan. 29--TEMPE, Ariz. -- Tom Brady took a significant step yesterday toward fulfilling his promise of playing in Super Bowl XLII. For the first time since injuring his right ankle in the AFC title game, the quarterback practiced with the New England Patriots.

It was just a light workout in shorts and shells, but it was a step in the right direction for the league's most valuable player.

After a daylong rain soaked the field at Sun Devil Stadium on Sunday, the Patriots had perfect conditions in which to work yesterday. It was sunny, with a slight breeze, and while the New York Giants flew from the East Coast to Arizona, the Patriots spent nearly two hours working on their game plan.

With his ankle taped, Brady participated in all phases of practice, according to the pool report, and twice jogged the length of the field after the team drills were complete.

Brady injured his ankle in the third quarter of the Patriots' win over San Diego nine days ago, and he did not participate in New England's three days of practice in full pads last week.

As he has ever since Brady injured his ankle, New England coach Bill Belichick refused to discuss Brady at any length.

"He was out there along with everybody else," Belichick said after practice.

After the team arrived from Foxborough, Mass., on Sunday night, Brady acknowledged what the Patriots would not last week -- that his ankle is injured. He vowed to play in the Super Bowl against the Giants as New England goes for its fourth title in seven years.

Brady's teammates, prohibited from speaking about Brady's practice appearances last week, welcomed his return but said they weren't all that concerned about him. When the Patriots played St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXVI, Brady played on a sprained ankle on only one week's rest.

"I try not to look at him too much," offensive tackle Matt Light said. "You guys do enough of that. I'm concerned with what's right in front of me, and I really haven't paid much attention to it. . . . I'll tell you one thing, if he's out there, he's going to be giving you everything that he's got. I don't worry about that at all. There's nothing I can do about it."

Added linebacker Junior Seau: "It's always nice to see Tom, whether it's in practice, in the locker room, or walking the streets. We have a lot of love for a lot of our players in that locker room -- and a lot of respect -- so it was nice to see Tom and the rest of the boys."

Enlightening moment. Not until yesterday did Light watch Osi Umenyiora's interview on HBO's Inside the NFL from last week, in which the Giants defensive end accused Light of doing "a couple of things that he shouldn't have done" in the regular-season finale.

"I finally watched it, and I don't think what everybody wanted to make of it was" accurate, Light said. "I don't think anybody who watches film of me would say that's the way I play. It was a physical game. They're a physical defense. That's the way they play."

Contact staff writer Ashley Fox

at 215-854-5064 or afox@phillynews.com.

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