New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady conspicuously didn't feature in the team's first preseason game against the Washington Redksins on Thursday. However, there was a perfectly good reason for his absence.
According to Jim McBride of the Boston Globe, Brady didn't play in this year's preseason opener due to a sore back.
Brady had had a lighter workload in practice for the past week, which may have been due to his tender back.
When asked about Brady’s absence postgame, Patriots coach Bill Belichick once again refused to offer any relevant information.
“Some players played; some didn’t,” Belichick said per Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. “We tried to play people we wanted to take a look at and give some reps to.”
Without Brady, backup Brian Hoyer took the majority of the snaps at quarterback for the Patriots, who still ran out 26-17 winners. Hayer went 16-of-23 for 144 yards with no touchdown. Rookie Danny Etling also got a handful of snaps and finished 2-of-5 for 21 yards.
The Patriots running backs scored all three of their touchdowns. Veteran Jeremy Hill had 11 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown, while rookie Ralph Webb added 46 yards and two touchdowns, both in the fourth quarter.
Hopefully, Brady’s sore back isn’t too serious and will clear up in the coming days. The Patriots’ next preseason assignment will be a Super Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, Aug. 16.
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