QB stability brought Galloway to Patriots
After 14 NFL seasons, three teams, and numerous quarterbacks, Joey Galloway was looking for a Super Bowl contender with a stable situation under center. That the wide receiver chose to sign with the Patriots speaks volumes about the health of Tom Brady.
Bottom line, Galloway wouldn't be a Patriot if he thought Brady, who tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee in New England's 2008 season opener, wasn't going to be healthy enough to lead the Patriots back to NFL elite status.
Galloway was practically giddy yesterday when talking about playing with Brady.
"I've been a fan of his for a long time," said Galloway, who also visited the Steelers and Bills after the Buccaneers cut him Feb. 25, ending a five-year stint with Tampa Bay. "I've been a fan of the team, of the organization, Mr. [Robert] Kraft, from top to bottom. I've always looked forward to an opportunity to get into a situation with stability at quarterback, which has always been something I've hoped for and going into this opportunity I looked for in my decision-making.
"Once the opportunity came to have a chance to play with Tom Brady, I don't think you can do any better than that."
The 37-year-old Galloway, owner of six 1,000-yard receiving seasons, has played with so many different quarterbacks he's lost count. He pegged the number of passers at 23. It's 18, according to Stats Inc., ranging from Warren Moon to Ryan Leaf.
"I think it has been something that I've sort of joked with a lot of people about," said Galloway. "I haven't had real quarterback stability in many places that I've been. So, with Tom Brady being the guy here, absolutely I am looking forward to that."
If you ask Patriots center Dan Koppen, no one is looking forward to seeing Brady back on the field more than Brady.
"Just knowing him and how competitive he is, how much it killed him to be on the sidelines last year, I think he's really excited," said Koppen.
Galloway, who signed a one-year deal, is not without his own injury issues.
Last season, he missed all of training camp with a groin strain, then was hampered during the season by a broken foot that limited him to nine games.
After three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons for the Buccaneers from 2005-07, Galloway caught just 13 passes for 138 yards and no touchdowns in 2008.
"Last year was one of those years where the injury just made me miss some games, and it just turned into a long season, I guess," said Galloway. "The season ended sourly because we didn't make the playoffs."
The 5-foot-11-inch, 197-pound Galloway, who has always had a game built on breakaway speed in stops in Seattle, Dallas, and Tampa, said his foot is fine.
Galloway has played in 185 career games with 169 starts and has 682 receptions for 10,710 yards and 77 touchdowns. His 15.7-yards-per-catch career average is the highest of any active player with 300 or more receptions (Randy Moss is second at 15.66).
Galloway knows he won't be Brady's top target. He'll be a complementary piece to Moss and Wes Welker, and in competition with Greg Lewis for the No. 3 receiver spot.
"My goal going into every season - with this being my 15th season, and it has not changed - is to be prepared to do whatever the team might ask me or need me to do to win football games," Galloway said.
"I never go into a situation looking at it like where am I slotted as far as the receivers on a particular team. In this case, this is a very talented offense. There are a lot of playmakers on this offense. My focus is to . . . be prepared and to be ready to the best of my ability to do whatever they ask me to do. If that is being third, fourth, fifth [receiver], it does not matter to me."
Galloway will be ready, and judging by his decision to sign with New England, it appears Brady will be, too.
"There have been a lot of ACL injuries in the past. A lot of guys have come back from them, and we know how hard Tom works in the offseason and works at it," said Koppen. "I think he's just going to flow right back into it. We'll go out and do our thing, and he'll do his thing."
Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com. 
