Tom Brady hasn't missed many starts during his 18-year NFL career, so it's no wonder there were a few raised eyebrows at Patriots' training ahead of Sunday's AFC championship game against Jacksonville.
Brady sat out the Patriots' practice on Thursday and did not speak to reporters as scheduled. That aided plenty of speculation about the 40-year-old quarterback's health.
With scant official information about the nature of Brady's injury, it fell to backup quarterback Brian Hoyer to address the situation when media entered the change rooms.
"You guys waiting for Phil?" Hoyer asked wryly, referring to receiver Phillip Dorsett's adjacent locker.
For the next six minutes he was asked questions about Brady.
"I'm always preparing to play, because the truth of reality is you never know when your name's gonna be called," Hoyer said.
Jaguars coach Doug Marrone expects his defence to line up against Brady, not Hoyer, on Sunday.
"I'm sure he can throw left-handed if he has a problem with his right hand, you know, and throw it just as well," Marrone said Thursday.
Hoyer was Brady's backup for three seasons from 2009 through 2011.
Brady has never missed a playoff start during his 18-year career. He hasn't missed any start because of an injury since he sat out the final 15 games of the 2008 season after tearing ligaments in his left knee during New England's season opener.
Brady missed the first four games of 2016 while serving his "Deflategate" suspension.
