CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — While Tom Brady didn’t participate in Thursday’s practice, he did show up wearing a glove and one doctor told us what he saw seemed positive.
Dr. Adam Tenfourde works with top level athletes at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cambridge.
He says, given Tom Brady's presence at practice, his injury likely is anything but "game over.”
“With a more extensive injury to a tendon or a dislocation event that would require something more aggressive like surgery, you typically wouldn't have that fast of a return to play especially with a high level athlete who was getting ready for a championship game,” he told Boston 25 News.
Tenfourde says while information is limited, it's possible one of the joints in Brady's hand was dislocated. When we asked about throwing distance, accuracy, and recovery time, Tenfourde says it all boils down to where the injury is.
If it's Brady's thumb, it could mean trouble.
“You do want to be able to squeeze the ball, but this to me would be more concerning if it was involving the thumb … because again that would potentially limit the overall ability to move his thumb through that full range of motion to be able to grip the ball correctly,” he explained.
If it's any of the other four fingers, Tenfourde says brady could tape two together, and still have the remaining fingers to grip.
Tenfourde says Brady's performance on Sunday will be as much about physical toughness as mental toughness.
But as we know in New England, championship level athletes often find a way to play through the pain and get the job done.
MORE: WATCH: Brady wears gloves in warm-up; doesn't practice Thursday