BOSTON — New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was in a two-car accident near his home at about 6:30 a.m. Thursday morning but was unhurt and attended practice later in the day at Gillette Stadium.
Brady arrived at the stadium Thursday morning and was involved in parts of meetings and a walk-through in addition to participating in the team’s practice session as the Patriots prepare for Sunday’s season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.
During the 11-minute portion of afternoon practice that reporters were allowed to watch Thursday, Brady, in full uniform with pads and helmet, stretched as usual with his teammates. Then, as he usually does, he threw soft passes of 20 to 30 yards to teammates.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick told the team about the accident before practice and said Brady might be a bit late.
“He didn’t make it seem like it was anything serious,” outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain said of Belichick’s remarks to the team. “I saw [Brady] a little while ago and he looks OK. I saw him walking in, he had a smile on his face, no abrasions. I think he’s fine. That was my first reaction.”
Added veteran tight end Alge Crumpler: “He’s here, he’s ready to go.”
Rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski said he caught a pass from Brady in the pre-practice walk-through and that it was as crisp as ever.
“We’re just all thankful he’s fine, and glad he’s back here already, and back working,” Gronkowski said.
His initial reaction was concern.
“Obviously it’s a shock, no matter who it is,” Gronkowski said. “You never want to hear information like that. We’re all thankful everyone is all right and he’s here.”
nfl tom brady car accident
The crash, at an intersection in Boston’s Back Bay area blocks from Brady’s home, knocked over a light pole and sent a passenger in the other vehicle to the hospital with injuries that were serious but not considered life-threatening, a police report said.
A police report says 21-year-old Ludgero Rodrigues was driving a Mercury Villager minivan that struck Brady’s Audi sedan.
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Ann Dufresne says the driver’s license of Rodrigues was suspended at least five times in three years. She says that includes a 180-day suspension last year after he was arrested for operating under the influence and refused to take a blood-alcohol test.
Police say Rodrigues was cited Thursday for failing to stop at a red light. Two other people in the minivan were able to exit and had no visible injuries, witnesses said.
A telephone listing for Rodrigues could not immediately be found Thursday.
