FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady went to work and left with a win and a nose job.
A day later, he’s still not sure if it’s broken.
The New England Patriots quarterback’s face was bloodied after a sack in Sunday’s 34-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
“It doesn’t look pretty, but it probably looks a lot worse than it feels,” Brady said Monday during his regular weekly appearance on WEEI radio.
By Monday night, when Brady appeared at a charity celebrity bowling event, he had no bandages, but a red line across the bridge of his nose was visible.
Coach Bill Belichick said he didn’t know if Brady’s nose was broken when he was sacked by Kamerion Wimbley in the second quarter at Tennessee. Brady played the rest of the game with a bandage on his nose and wore one afterward.
Brady threw for 236 yards, completing 23 of 31 passes, and two touchdowns.
Asked about the nose, he had this exchange with the Boston Globe on Sunday:
Was it broken?
“I don’t know.”
Has he ever had a broken nose?
“In my life? No.”
Does it feel broken?
“I have no idea what a broken nose feels like.”
Is he hurt?
“It’ll be fine. I need some of that anyway.”
Some of what?
“Some scars. I never mind a little blood.”
Teammates didn’t seem too concerned about how the injury would affect Brady’s appearance. For linebacker Jerod Mayo, there was something more important.
“It’s all about how he plays on the field,” Mayo said. “He’s a great player.”
To tight end Rob Gronkowski, Brady’s injury was an occupational hazard.
“That’s football,” he said. “It happens to everyone all the time. Every single game someone’s out there getting bruised.”
Then Gronkowski pointed to a red mark on his right elbow.
“Look at this,” he said with a laugh, before pointing to another bruise on his left elbow. “I think I’ve got one on this side too, right there.
“And you’re worried about Brady’s nose?”
