FOXBORO — The Patriot who was involved in a collision with Tom Brady while taking a handoff during practice Wednesday that left the All-Pro quarterback with an injured right hand that required 10 or stitches remained a mystery for days.
But on Saturday, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network pegged running back Rex Burkhead as being the other party in an accident that sent New England into a panic.
“I don’t want to get into it,” Burkhead said Sunday after the Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl. “I just kept preparing for the game like I was supposed to and I think Tom did as well and everybody else. We were just focused on the game.”
Brady, as he always does, played and, as generally is the case, played well as the Patriots defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 24-20, in the AFC Championship. He was 26 of 38 for 290 yards and two touchdowns along with a successful sneak on third down.
“It’s unbelievable what he does,” Burkhead said. “The injuries that he fights through, playing football at 40 years old, so it’s unreal and for him to do that and go out there in an atmosphere like that and continue to make plays is unbelievable. That’s why he’s the greatest.”
As for Burkhead, he played sparingly after missing the last three games with a knee injury, rushing once for 5 yards and failing to catch the lone pass sent his way.