Tom Brady's Achilles Injury Reportedly Not Serious After Missing Practice

New England Patriots superstar quarterback Tom Brady missed practice Wednesday due to an Achilles injury, but his availability for the Pats' home game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on Sunday is reportedly not in danger.

Jim McBride of the Boston Globe noted the ailment is "not considered serious," and the signal-caller should be back on the practice field Thursday or Friday.

Brady is already a strong contender in the conversation for greatest QB in NFL history, and the 40-year-old California native has shown no signs of slowing down. He's produced at an elite rate in 2017 with a league-best 110.9 passer rating and will likely end up in the MVP discussion at season's end as a result.

The University of Michigan product has remained mostly durable throughout his pro career. The only season he missed significant time due to injury was 2008 due to a torn ACL and MCL. He's battled through a left shoulder sprain to stay on the field this year.

If the latest issue forces him to make a rare stay on the sideline, Brian Hoyer would step into the starting lineup after being signed following the trade of Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers. He previously served as Brady's backup from 2009 through 2011. 

The Patriots opted to bring back a veteran with experience in the team's offensive scheme and that should help if Brady is out for any period of time. While the offense might not operate at its usual efficient level, it should be good enough with the backup under center to keep the team afloat heading toward the playoffs.

As of now, however, it doesn't appear a switch under center will be necessary.