by John Atchison

Created on: September 09, 2010

The National Football League season is upon us in earnest this evening, with the rest of the league starting this coming Sunday.  That list includes the New England Patriots, who are hoping to rebound from a lackluster playoff showing last season and hopefully make a trip to the Super Bowl once again.  Everyone knows that the Pats start and end with the performance of their MVP Quarterback Tom Brady.  That is why this morning’s news had to send shivers down the spines of both Patriots officals and their legions of loyal fans. 

Tom Brady was involved early this morning in a car accident in which one person involved had to be removed from the car via the jaws of life.  Rest easy though Patriots fans because it was not Brady that had to be extracted.  The accident occurred at at 6:34 a.m. at Commonwealth Avenue and Gloucester Street in Boston and according to accounts given to the Boston Globe, the accident was not Brady’s fault.  Evidently he had a green light and proceeded forward when a minivan ran its red light and the two vehicles collided. 

An eyewitness living near the scene indicated he the noise from the accident and a man emerging from the sedan, which Brady was the driver of.  He witnessed Brady swiping glass off of his shirt and wiping himself with a towel.  According to various reports,  Brady did not complain of any particular injury and needed no medical attention.  He phoned someone and was picked up a short while later and taken to Gillette Stadium.  By all accounts he was taking part in the team’s morning activities and showing no ill effects from the accident.

It appears in the end though that everyone involved will be ok.  Brady was shaken by all accounts, but again did not go to the hospital and refused comment to reporters.  Even though the passenger in the rear of the minivan had to be cut out, his injuries are not reported to be life threatening.  In fact the worst injury on the scene may have been to a light pole that was struck by one of the vehicles after the crash.

This is a pivotal time in the career of the erstwhile Patriots quarterback, who has been in the news often in the past few days regarding his current contract status.  Brady has been looking to sign a new deal and though he is saying all of the right things, you can hear in his voice that he would like the uncertainity over and done with.  Rumors have been circulating that the two sides were closing in on a deal in the range of four years and likely to average around 18 to 19 million per year.

One can now see why he is so anxious to get the deal consummated.  Had something happened and he was seriously injured in the wreck, he would not have had a contract in place beyond this season and the Patriots could have simply walked away.  You can't blame him after his injury a couple of seasons ago about being weary of having his career ended at any given moment and not secured his future with a new deal.

Learn more about this author, John Atchison.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.