Tedy Bruschi back at practice

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Bruschi hopeful after first practice following stroke


Tedy Bruschi was back on the practice field for the New England Patriots, eager to complete his comeback from a stroke that hospitalized him eight months ago.

``The next step is tomorrow's practice,'' the Patriots' star linebacker said Wednesday after his first practice with his teammates since his stroke on Feb. 16.

``I'm living life one day at a time right now,'' he said. ``I'm very fortunate that I'm still able to play the game that I love. I'm going to go home and sleep and then wake up tomorrow and do it again.''

The 32-year-old Bruschi wasn't discouraged by anything in the 75-minute, non-contact practice, and has his sights set on being ready to play in New England's next game Oct. 30 against Buffalo.

Bruschi acknowledged having some jitters and some bad reads of what the offense was doing. But he said he had no pain or discomfort and felt in good shape for practice, although he wasn't sure about his game shape, and fit in with his teammates.

``They responded to me in the huddle and in getting our communication down once again,'' he said.

He didn't sense any reluctance by teammates to go easy on him, and he knows he won't tone down his aggressiveness.


``When I need to stick my face in there, I'm going to stick it in,'' Bruschi said before slipping into his shoulder pads and helmet, ``and I'm going to stick it in hard.''

For now, he's focused only on the next practice.

``It's a relief that I got the first day under my belt,'' he said. ``I've got a long way to go in which I've still got other steps to take in terms of games and physical contact, but I think I'll be ready for that.''

Coach Bill Belichick will decide when Bruschi will play in a game and said Oct. 30 is a possibility. And now that Bruschi has received medical clearance from several doctors, Belichick said he'll treat him like any other player. He'll play, Belichick said, if he can improve the team's chances of winning.

``I love Tedy Bruschi. He's been a significant player for our team,'' Belichick said before practice, but ``I'm not going to do a minute-to-minute evaluation'' of his progress.

If Bruschi plays close to his past level, he'll help a defense that has been battered by injuries -- a major reason the three-time Super Bowl champions are just 3-3 going into their bye week.

``I can play linebacker, that's all,'' Bruschi said. ``We all have our own individual jobs to do and, right now, we all have to get better at doing them.''

Bruschi stayed in shape by working out in the Patriots' weight room, running and doing agility and other drills. He attended team meetings and watched home games from the sidelines where he still managed to excite the crowd.

``The camera pans to him. He's on the big screen. Everyone yells `Bruuuu,''' tight end Christian Fauria said. ``We're on defense and we need some crowd noise, just put the camera on him and everybody starts screaming. It's crazy.''

That roar should seem subdued compared to the one Bruschi will hear when he runs onto the field for the first time this season. If that's not on Oct. 30, then perhaps it will be Nov. 7 in a Monday night home game against Indianapolis.

Bruschi played in his first Pro Bowl on Feb. 13, three days before he was hospitalized after experiencing numbness in his left arm and left leg.

In September, he said he wouldn't play this season. But he kept making progress in his workouts, was checked by several doctors and, on Wednesday, was playfully running after linebacker Mike Vrabel and pushing him in the back during a drill.

``This is something that I'm sure has been thought about and has been planned. He'll be ready to go,'' Vrabel said.

Other teammates were behind Bruschi, even though some fans feel he may be risking his health.

``Tedy can't go through his life living his life for other people,'' defensive end Richard Seymour said. ``If he's comfortable with the decision, I'm comfortable with the decision.''