Brady says rehab is on schedule

Feb 18, 2009 - 7:23 PM ALLSTON, Massachusetts (Ticker) - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said at a charity event Wednesday that his rehab from a torn ACL and MCL in his knee is going well.

"I'm feeling great. I'm feeling really good. Everything is progressing just as I expected," Brady said from a charity appearance at a Boys and Girls club as part of the Patriots Charitable Foundation. "There is a lot of hard work that needs to take place, by myself, by my teammates, by our coaches, to get us back to where we want to be."

Brady suffered a torn ACL and MCL in Week One against the Kansas City Chiefs, and his recovery had been hindered by an infection that set in following his initial surgery on October 6, according to various reports.

The two-time Super Bowl MVP also spoke about the setback in his recovery.

"I think initially I said there was," Brady said. "Since then, there has been nothing. Just working hard on my rehab. There is not much to say when you're not playing. I'm just trying to focus on what I need to focus on - get stronger, and mentally stronger, so I can go out and try to perform as best as I can next year."

Brady also revealed that he expects to be ready for training camp and the 2009 season.

"You know, (coach) Bill (Belichick) never likes us to forecast anything. It's like me asking you guys 'are you going to be doing your job in eight months?' Yeah, you certainly think so. There is no reason why I shouldn't," he said.

"It's just a matter of getting to that time. I wish it was right around the corner. I wish it was here now. It's not, but the competitor in me has to sit back and wait and continue to work and try to get stronger."

Unsure if Brady would be ready for 2009, the Patriots used their franchise tag on quarterback Matt Cassel, who threw for 3,693 yards and 21 touchdowns in Brady's absence this past season.

Brady, widely considered the game's best quarterback, threw for a single-season record 50 touchdowns in 2007.