Tom Brady knows what it's like to be sidelined by a serious injury.
Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 of the 2009 season, which might be why he was nothing but sympathetic when speaking to the Boston Herald about Peyton Manning's ongoing neck injury. Manning, the league's only four-time MVP, is out indefinitely after undergoing his third neck surgery in 19 months.
"He's such a tough guy. It sucks not seeing him out there," Brady said of Manning, who before Sunday had not missed a single start in 14 seasons. "Hopefully he gets well soon. He's a huge reason for why the NFL, why people follow it so closely."
According to the Herald, when Brady was asked about Manning's injury earlier this week, the Patriots quarterback insisted, "He'll play."
But by Saturday even Brady, who missed all but two quarters of the 2009 season after tearing ligaments in his left knee, understood that Manning's latest injury was a serious one -- for the Colts and the NFL. He alluded to that fact by saying the continuation of the heated Colts-Patriots rivalry in Week 13 won't have the same feel if Manning is not on the field.
"I think we as competitors, whenever you play great teams, you always want to play them with their best players," Brady said. He's been a great one for a long time."
