Tom Brady injury update: Patriots’ QB is active

The New England Patriots suffered a major scare on Wednesday with Tom Brady hurting his thumb. Luckily, the future Hall of Famer is active for the AFC title game.

On Wednesday, reports came out that Tom Brady would not be speaking to the media in lieu of medical attention for his right thumb, which had hit into the equipment of running back Rex Burkhead. Despite needing four stitches to close the wound, Brady was back on the field in a limited capacity on Thursday and Friday before being labeled as questionable.

Well, the Patriots have released their official inactive list for the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Brady is going to be dressed.

This can’t come as a surprise to anybody. Brady was always going to be playing in this game unless he tore his thumb off of his body. Even then, four-fingered Brady might be better than five-fingered Brian Hoyer, who would have been playing in his stead. Hoyer has made one playoff start in his career, throwing four interceptions and losing a fumble as a member of the Houston Texans in a 30-0 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs back in Jan. 2016.

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Brady has a career record of 17-3 in the playoffs at Gillette Stadium, and has not lost in the building since the 2011 AFC Divisionals against the New York Jets.

For Jacksonville, this is its first trip to the AFC title game since 1999, when the Jaguars hosted and lost to the Tennessee Titans. Jacksonville also reached this stage in 1996, falling to the Patriots at old Foxboro Stadium.