New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is expected to play in the team's second preseason game this week. Photo by Brian Kersey/UPI |
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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady did his best to smooth the waters with the team's fan base, saying that he and coach Bill Belichick remain on the same page during a radio interview on Tuesday.
"I think our priorities are the same that they've always been, and I think that's why we get along so well. We're here to win," Brady said in his weekly interview on sports radio WEEI. "It's been a very professional environment he's created, and I think I'm very lucky to be in that environment. I think he's the best coach who ever coached in the NFL, and I feel very privileged to kind of be mentored by him as long as I have."
Brady's comment comes one day after Belichick said very much the same thing on the same radio station.
"We still do basically the same things we've done for quite a period of time now. I don't see that changing," Belichick said Monday on WEEI. "I have a good relationship with Tom. I have a lot of respect for Tom. We've won a lot of games together, and I hope we can win some more together. I know he feels the same way."
Rumors of a rift developed in December when ESPN reported on friction between Brady and Belichick stemming from the quarterback's ties to trainer Alex Guerrero.
As for matters on the field, Brady said he "absolutely" plans to play in the team's preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.
Brady sat out the Patriots' preseason opener against the Washington Redskins while nursing a reported minor back injury.
The 41-year-old didn't confirm or deny the back injury that was initially reported by the Boston Globe, only to say that he's feeling well.
"I'm doing well. I am doing really well. You always have little things that you're working through -- that's part of football season -- but I feel really good," the three-time NFL Most Valuable Player said.
A four-time Super Bowl MVP, Brady passed for a league-best 4,577 yards along with 32 touchdowns and only eight interceptions last season.
The Patriots added $5 million in incentives to Brady's contract last week, while converting $10 million of his base salary to a signing bonus.
"I've never talked about my contract, and that's never been the top priority for me," Brady told the radio station. "I love being here, this community, this organization. I love winning, and I love that my family has had a home for a long time. Those have been my priorities as long as I've been in this game."
