Brady's rehab progressing as expected

NBCSports.com reported yesterday that Tom Brady is "well behind schedule" in his rehab from October surgery to repair his torn left ACL and MCL. The article also cited a league source who said the ACL and MCL remain "loose" and could require a second surgery that could force Brady to miss the 2009 season.

However, league sources and sources close to Brady quickly dismissed the report as inaccurate. They said the infection appears to have cleared and Brady's rehab is progressing as expected, though the infection caused a lengthy initial delay.

Brady is having some range of motion issues, common in patients who suffer an infection. Fighting an infection causes a greater buildup of scar tissue, which makes it difficult to fully bend and extend the leg. As a result, Brady may need to undergo arthroscopic surgery to clean up scar tissue to improve mobility.

The removal of scar tissue, however, would help Brady rehab more effectively and not cause any significant delays. Typically, an athlete can resume his regular rehabilitation a couple of weeks after such a procedure.

SHIRA SPRINGER