FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) – Two things were certain Saturday when the New England Patriots put on pads for the first time at training camp: The home fans sure do love Tom Brady, and the quarterback’s suspension and court case haven’t affected his accuracy.
In between raucous cheers that started when he ran onto the field, Brady was strong and precise with his passing. He completed 12 consecutive passes during 11-on-11 work and also lofted a nifty touchdown pass to Danny Amendola during a goal-line drill.
“Tom’s our leader,” Amendola said.
And he’s loved by Patriots fans, many of whom donned No. 12 jerseys and chanted “Brady! Brady!” as he jogged onto the practice field. Brady raised his hand and acknowledged the crowd. He later signed autographs, then once again shunned the media.
Since the NFL upheld the four-game suspension for his role in allegedly tampering with football air pressure in last season’s AFC title game, Brady has remained mum outside a Facebook post in which he maintained his innocence.