Tom Brady on Hand Injury: 'It's Not Quite Where I Want It to Be'

In what might be a worrying sign for the New England Patriots, quarterback Tom Brady acknowledged he has yet to fully recover from the right hand laceration that forced him to wear a bandage in New England's AFC Championship Game victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"It's getting better," Brady said Tuesday, per the Denver Post's Nicki Jhabvala. "It's not quite where I want it to be."

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo showed Brady wearing a glove on his right hand while speaking to reporters:

"Just trying to protect it the best way I can," Brady said of the glove, according to Garafolo. "It's obviously an important part of my body as a quarterback. Under Armour made it for me. It's a great glove. It's got a lot of recovery in it. It's what I need."

Despite the injury, Brady finished 26-of-38 for 290 yards and two touchdowns against a Jaguars team that ranked first in pass defense (169.9 yards per game). While Brady played well in the AFC title game, he and the Patriots might not be so lucky in Super Bowl LII against the Philadelphia Eagles.

As the team overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, New England feasted on a visibly fatigued Jaguars defense. Jacksonville's final four drives amassed 62 combined yards and ended in three punts and a turnover on downs.

That, in turn, put a lot of pressure on the defense, which Brady and the Patriots offense exploited. It's no coincidence 166 of Brady's passing yards came in the second half.

Against a more balanced Eagles team, New England may not have that same luxury.

Philadelphia doesn't boast the kind of secondary Jacksonville possesses. The Eagles allowed 227.3 yards per game through the air, good for 17th in the league. Philadelphia's offensive potency, however, is likely to cause more problems for the Patriots than Jacksonville did.

Brady still has until Sunday to let his right hand heal, but it could be a big factor in the Super Bowl if it continues to be troublesome for the 13-time Pro Bowler. And of course there's always the risk of reinjuring it in practice or during the game itself.