New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady skipped practice on Wednesday due to illness just four days before the AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos, but there has been no doubt cast over his ability to perform in the championship game and he is expected to resume practicing on Wednesday.
ESPN reports that Brady was seen at the Patriots' practice facility Thursday morning and he is expected to practice Thursday and play on Sunday with a trip to MetLife Stadium and Super Bowl XLVIII hanging in the balance. Still, his absence at practice surprised coach Bill Belichick.
When asked when the last time was that Brady surprised him, Belichick said, "This morning," according to ESPN. When he was asked to clarify, Belichick said "We'll keep that between Tom and I."
Brady missed practice for an unspecified illness and it was the first practice he's missed this season. Ryan Mallett took first-team reps with the Patriots due to Brady being absent and led the team's offense in practice.
"It was fun," Mallett said of taking first-team reps after practice, according to ESPN. "It was a lot of fun. I like getting to play in our offense."
The Patriots will need Brady at full strength when they travel to Denver to take on the Broncos in search of the AFC crown. In the regular season, Brady was 380-for-628 (60.5%) for 4,343 yards with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while navigating the Patriots past injuries and other setbacks to a 12-4 record and their fifth consecutive AFC East crown.
Brady went 13-for-25 for 198 yards and didn't throw for a touchdown or interception when the Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts last week in the divisional round.
Now, with Peyton Manning and the Broncos looming, the Pats will hope that a healthy Brady can help lead them to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2011.
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