Tom Brady dodges questions on Alex Guererro, Colin Kaepernick

FOXBORO — Tom Brady cut short an interview with reporters following practice on the second day of training camp in late July when asked about personal trainer and business partner Alex Guerrero.

It was more of the same in late August, this time with Boston radio station WEEI, leading football followers to wonder why Brady was so touchy about the topic.

But Brady avoided executing a potentially embarrassing triple play Friday in his weekly, in-season press conference [...]

FOXBORO — Tom Brady cut short an interview with reporters following practice on the second day of training camp in late July when asked about personal trainer and business partner Alex Guerrero.

It was more of the same in late August, this time with Boston radio station WEEI, leading football followers to wonder why Brady was so touchy about the topic.

But Brady avoided executing a potentially embarrassing triple play Friday in his weekly, in-season press conference at Gillette Stadium.

Guerrero had restrictions placed on his access to training Brady and other Patriots by coach Bill Belichick last season, creating a rift between the most successful coach-quarterback combination in NFL history.

But signs of a truce emerged when the Patriots traveled to Charlotte, N.C., on Aug. 23 for their first road game of the preseason as Guerrero was once again allowed to fly with the team.

“Alex and I, we work together,” Brady began when asked if he’s satisfied with the current arrangement. “I don’t want to bring on any drama this year. Just focused on what I want to do and be a great football player for this team. Try to be a good example in the locker room and provide great leadership.

“That’s where my focus is. I know we often want to talk about other things, but I just really want to stick to football and, like I said, try to really be the best I can be for this team.”

As for whether the new/old arrangement works for him, Brady indicted he has the experience to deal with whatever obstacles are placed in his path.

“I’m a pretty mentally tough guy, so I’ve dealt with a lot of circumstances over a long period of time, 18, 19 years,” Brady, 41, said. “I’m excited for this season. I’m really excited for where we’re at, where we’re going, what we have to do.

“There are a lot of challenges we’re going to face. I want to feel good. I want to be the best quarterback I can be and that requires a big commitment on a daily effort.”

Brady had no interest in discussing the new Nike commercial by quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has seemingly been blackballed from the NFL for advocating for social change, as he sought to avoid “the hot topics and my reaction to them.”

And as for whether he’ll continue his long history of interviewing with WEEI on a weekly basis during the season, Brady was noncommittal.

“I don’t know. Yeah. Sure. I think so,” he said.

While Brady had long said he wanted to play football until he was 45, he seemed to waiver on that pledge in the offseason. The game, he noted, hadn’t been much fun the past couple of seasons — both of which ended with the Patriots in the Super Bowl — and his family and friends were sacrificing so much so he could continue to play.

How long he does play remains to be seen, but Brady made it clear he’s eager for his 19th season to begin. That’ll take place at 1 p.m. Sunday when the Patriots and Houston Texans meet at Gillette Stadium.

“I’m really excited,” Brady said, repeating himself for emphasis. “It’s a blessing to be able to do it. I love playing football. I’ve been doing it for a long time, so I’m not sure what life would be like without it.

“I’ve had a few experiences where I haven’t been out there and I didn’t like those very much. Hopefully, we can go out and start the season well. We’re playing a really good team and they’re going to test us in every phase. They’re really well coached, have some great players and that’s really where our focus is.”

One of those times came 10 years ago this month, when Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first quarter of the first game.

“That was a long time ago and I feel pretty confident in there now,” the five-time Super Bowl champion said. “I’m just trying to avoid those the best ways I can.”