Tom E. Curran reports Tom Brady had surgery Thursday afternoon and he should be ready for camp.
Surgery to repair the chronic stress fracture in Tom Brady's right foot was completed Thursday afternoon around 4:30 p.m., according to a source.
The procedure, which included inserting a screw in the navicular bone, was a pre-emptive strike aimed at protecting Brady from suffering a full fracture in the future.
Brady is expected to be full-go and completely healthy by training camp, according to the source. He may be able to participate in mini- and passing camps in the spring as well.
As of Wednesday morning, Brady was planning to go to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. But after having his exit physical for the 2010 season, the fact this long-standing stress fracture was not healing was revealed.
The final decision to have the surgery was made Thursday morning. Dr. George Theodore and Dr. Thomas Gill performed the surgery at Mass. General Hospital.
The bone treated on Brady is the same one Red Sox' second baseman Dustin Pedroia had fixed last season. The reason Brady was able to play with his injury while Pedroia was not is that Pedroia's navicular stress fracture came from one event - a foul ball off his foot. Brady's injury is a repetitive use injury.
The recovery time for an injury like Brady's is generally longer than Pedroia's because of the chronic nature as opposed to it happening in one event.
Kirk Minihane gives his take on why Belichick had no choice but to discipline Wes Welker.
Those defending Wes Welker, I mean. Walk me through this: Bill Belichick told the Patriots at the beginning of last week not to get lulled into a war of words with the Jets. And everybody followed his order -- except for Wes Welker. He thought he could get away with one, and when Belichick reportedly asked him about it Welker wasn't exactly truthful.
Seems cut and dry to me. He disobeyed his boss and then lied about it when his boss confronted him. It's an easy call for Belichick. What else is he supposed to do? If he doesn't give Welker a rip for it what happens the next time he gives the players an order? He had to discipline Welker, there's no other call.
Look, feel free to blame Belichick for the Jets' loss. I'm fine with that, he was seriously outcoached by Rex Ryan. But understand this: Wes Welker is to blame for the benching on Sunday, not Belichick. Welker was selfish. He knew Belichick would be pissed if he found about the foot joke buffet. And he knew that his coach wasn't Pete Carroll -- Belichick wasn't going to let him get away with it if he got busted. But Welker went ahead with it anyway. Why? Because he thought it would be funny. And it was, I guess. Probably Belichick thought it was funny. But it doesn't make it right.
TEAM TALK
- John Cockrell Friday Out-Takes: Karma's day off.
- Erik Scalavino and Paul Perillo debate, was the Patriots' 2010 season a successful one?
- Patriots Today - Rookies' playoff perspective. (3.24 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Christopher Price gives his take on Tom Brady's surgery and what it will mean for him going forward.
- Shira Springer reports Tom Brady underwent successful surgery yesterday and should be ready for camp in the spring.
- Christopher Price reports sports injury expert Will Carroll estimates it will take Tom Brady a couple of months before he's 100 percent again.
- Kirk Minihane focuses on Tom Jackson and the death of credibility.
- Chad Finn reports Tom Jackson had taken a big hit on his credibility.
- Jeff Howe sees a Wes Welker extension and potential deal with Chad Ochocinco highlight the Patriots offseason objectives.
- Chris Gasper asserts that if there is a common theme from the Patriots last three playoff defeats it has been an inability to generate the big play on the ground.
- Mike Reiss updates the Patriots draft picks for 2011with information on the trades that involved undisclosed picks revealed.
- Ian Rapoport notes the Patriots have decisions to make on 14 free agents.
- Mike Reiss assesses the Patriots' need for the RB and WR position.
- Chad Finn wants to look at what are the Patriots' offseason priorities.
- Jeff Howe reports Devin McCourty might be the angriest rookie in Hawaii next week. "I don't think anything will solve the disappointment."
- Ian Rapoport's video of the day is Devin McCourty, still suffering from the loss, reflecting on his rookie season. (1.30 min. video)
- Mike Reiss gives his take on Bill Belichick's benching of Wes Welker (good intention, bad execution), the Patriots' three consecutive playoff losses and more. (4.35 min. video)
- Mike Reiss offers the transcript of his weekly online chat.
- Kirk Minihane addresses an awful lot of whiny, irrational emails in his Patriots mailbag.
- Boston Globe reviews Tom Brady's remarkable rise from late draft pick to the top of the NFL.
- Steve Buckley wants us all to know that time is ticking and Tom Brady is in the second half of his career.
- Mike Reiss notes Jonathan Wilhite's salary jumps to $1.2 m for the 2011 season.
- Ron Borges grades the Patriots for their performance this season, saying there are plenty of bright spots from 2010 and building blocks already in place for next year.
- Scott McLaughlin highlights Adam Schefter's appearance on WEEI this morning. Schefter feels the Packers are the best team left in the playoffs.
- Jim Lazar makes his picks for the conference championship games this weekend, even though it's tough to watch without the Pats.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Medical expert: Tom Brady in serious pain.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Brady's injury makes season more amazing.
- Adam Teicher (Kansas City Star) Cassel replaces an injured Brady, this time in the Pro Bowl.
- Clifton Brown (Sporting News) Vital offseason awaits Tom Brady, Patriots after surgery.
- Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Re-signing Mankins top priority for Patriots.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Football Outsiders charts "Starter games lost" for the NFL. The Patriots were tied for 10th with 54 starter games lost.
- Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) Let's take a look at some of the players that have created a buzz in scouting circles during Shrine week.
- Wes Bunting (Nat'l Football Post) East-West Shrine practice review.
- Andrew Perloff (SI) 2011 NFL Mock Draft. Patriots take DE J.J. Watt (Wisconsin) at 17 and LB Justin Houston (Georgia) at 28.
- Dan Wetzel (Yahoo! Sports) Spray gives sports deer-in-headlights look.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Advance notice for drug testing calls NFL procedures into question.