Back at Practice, Brady 'Feels Really Good'

FOXBOROUGH, Mass., May 28 -- It has been one major knee injury, a complicating staph infection, a series of surgeries and nearly an entire football season's worth of inactivity since Tom Brady was the most acclaimed quarterback and the New England Patriots were the most dominant team.

But on this cool, gray day in the middle of the NFL's offseason, Brady took a significant step in his comeback, and the Patriots again could dream of being the team that came so close to perfection two seasons ago, when Brady had a sound left knee and spent his time zipping passes to wide receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker to rewrite portions of the record book.

There was no hitting on Thursday, and some of the passes wandered off target here on practice fields outside Gillette Stadium. Brady didn't always resemble a three-time Super Bowl winner or the centerpiece of the club that crafted the first 16-0 regular season in NFL history in 2007. Afterward, he lamented his lack of throwing accuracy and said his sharpness wasn't game-ready.

But Brady was on the field as the Patriots opened one of their offseason practices to members of the media. And that seemed to be enough for now, with the season months away.

"I feel as good as I can possibly feel," Brady said after the practice as reporters crowded around him. "I don't think about it [the injury]. It doesn't bother me doing anything. It's feeling really good. That's about as good as I can say it. I was real happy with where I'm at, coming out in these workouts, happy to participate in them. That was something that was a big deal for me to be able to do."

Brady had been participating in the Patriots' organized team activities all week, his first official on-field work since his knee injury in the opening game of last season. But this was the first practice open to reporters, and that put Brady's comeback in full view.

"It's about staying positive and just doing the work," Brady said. "You've got to do the rehab. Nobody likes to do the rehab, but I'm glad we're back in the football stuff. We're back into throwing the ball on the field. That's the stuff that I enjoy the most."

Brady said he wore a brace on his left knee, although it wasn't visible because it was covered by his blue sweat pants. He walked and ran without a limp, and he didn't seem to have any trouble planting his left leg to throw during drills.

He wasn't the old Brady. He underthrew Moss on a couple deep passes during full team drills, although Moss managed to adjust to one throw and make the catch.

"I've been playing football for a long time," Brady said. "You don't have to go out and relearn how to do anything. You just have to go out and try to be sharp. I don't think I've been very sharp the last three days in practice."

Brady suffered torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee when he was hit during last season's opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, and underwent reconstructive surgery. He then underwent a pair of procedures after a staph infection developed in his knee, producing reports that his recovery had been delayed, and the original surgery might have to be redone.

It wasn't, however, and Brady has said his recovery is on schedule and he plans to be ready for the opening game. The Patriots seem satisfied Brady will be okay. They traded the quarterback who replaced him last season, Matt Cassel, to the Chiefs in the offseason.

Now, Brady and the Patriots will try to regain their 2007 form.

"The throwing part is not the problem at all," Brady said. "At this point, it's just getting back to the football activities. . . . My body feels really good. My arm feels good. I'm not completing as many passes as I want, but we haven't been out here very long. I think it's just about getting better every day. If you can do that, make continuous improvements over the course of weeks and months, you'll be a better player."