FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady approached the mass of reporters waiting to talk to him and asked: “Who wants to talk football?”

They wanted to talk contract.

Whether he liked it or not, Brady faced questions Wednesday about entering the final year of his current deal. With the season opener a few days away and work being done toward a contract extension, the New England Patriots quarterback provided few details.

No, he said, he hadn’t signed a new contract.

Yes, he loves playing for the Patriots, has an outstanding relationship with team owner Robert Kraft and owes it to the team to focus on football.

And, no matter how much he knows about how close he is to a new deal, he kept that to himself. He wouldn’t even say he’s excited about the possibility of being with the Patriots for a long time.

“I don’t assume anything anymore in life,” Brady said. “I don’t think anything is guaranteed to us beyond what we have today, and I really feel that way.”

That philosophy was driven home when his 2008 season ended midway through the first quarter of the opener after Kansas City safety Bernard Pollard crashed into Brady’s left leg, causing serious ligament damage in his knee.

“You also pinch yourself every time you walk off the field healthy and say, ‘Man, at least I get a chance to go out next week and play,’” Brady said.

With four surgeries in the past eight years, is Brady more eager to sign before Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, providing security in case of another injury?

“It’s not even a part of my thoughts right now. I haven’t thought about it yesterday, today,” Brady said. “I’m just thinking about the team we have to play. I owe that to this team.”

Brady is scheduled to earn $6.5 million this season as part of his six-year, $57.3 million contract.

With signs pointing to an extension, Brady wouldn’t say if he’s confident that would happen.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I have no idea,” he said. “We’ve had a chance to deal with it (the contract) this offseason and we are where we’re at.”

Randy Moss has his own contract issues. His deal also is in its final season and he said Monday in an interview with CBSSports.com, “it kind of feels like I am not wanted.”

Moss, a fixture at preseason practices, did not participate Wednesday because of illness, according to the Patriots’ practice report.

“I want him. He knows that. I tell him every day,” Brady said.

In three seasons with New England, Moss has averaged 83 catches for 1,255 yards and 16 touchdowns.