NFL rumors: Tom Brady to start for Patriots vs. Bears?
By Matt Couden
UPDATE 7:45 pm: Not so fast, maybe, as a tweet from NESN Patriots beat reporter Doug Kyed quotes a source saying Tom Brady walked out of the stadium in street clothes. We’ll know soon enough. Our original post follows.
Quarterback Tom Brady might be suspended for the regular season, but the latest NFL rumors indicate he could participate in his team’s preseason game on Thursday night. The New England Patriots will take on the Chicago Bears at Gillette Stadium, with sources confirming to ESPN that Brady will start.
The Bears and Patriots have been conducting joint practice sessions this past week. Tonight, Brady is likely to take a few snaps to get himself familiar with the team’s personnel and plays. However, it’s highly unlikely he’ll go beyond a quarter or so. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET in Massachusetts.
Brady is going to sit out the first four games of the NFL regular season due to the “Deflategate” scandal from a few postseasons ago. In his place will be Jimmy Garoppolo as the starting quarterback. That will make for the fist time since 2001 that Brady was not the starting quarterback in New England’s first game of the season.
The longtime Pats quarterback did not participate in his team’s first preseason game against the New Orleans Saints. However, he seemed impressed by the work done by his backup Garoppolo so far in training camp and during that game. It’s always good to have a vote of confidence from one of the best in the game, a man who long ago used to back up another starter himself.
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Garoppolo and Brady have been trading snaps and plays during practices so far. Once his suspension begins, Brady can’t be anywhere near the practices or the team facility. He’ll certainly be hoping that Garoppolo fills in adequately for the first quarter of the regular season, so Brady can get in the driver’s seat towards the playoffs.