FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Patriots quarterback Tom Brady told New England fans not to worry about his left shoulder injury, even though it has kept him out of the team’s first two practices this week.

Brady did not participate in practice on Wednesday, according to the team’s injury report, although he was spotted on the field during the portion that was open to reporters. Brady was absent from the open portion of practice on Tuesday and reportedly received an MRI on his non-throwing shoulder.

Asked about the procedure, Brady said he would be on the field for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets with first place in the AFC East on the line.

“I’ll be there Sunday. Don’t worry about that,” Brady said. “I’ll be there.”

The 40-year-old Brady leads the NFL with 1,702 passing yards. He has thrown for 11 touchdowns with one interception and another pick-6 that was officially ruled a fumble.

He’s also been sacked 16 times, more than in all 12 games he played in last year.

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“It’s a physical sport, so I think everyone is dealing with something,” Brady said. “Everyone’s running around and they’re big and they’re fast and they hit hard. You have bumps and bruises, but you just deal with them the best you can and try to get ready for the next week.”

Brady said one reason for the extra hits he’s been taking is that the team has fallen behind more than usual.

“If you have a three-touchdown lead in the third quarter, it’s different. You’re probably much more balanced on offense, and we’ve been a part of those quite a few times,” he said. “If you’re losing by two scores, you’re just throwing it every down. You’ve just got no choice; they can’t sack you if you’re handing the ball off.”

Also missing practice on Wednesday were tight end Rob Gronkowski (thigh), defensive back Eric Rowe (groin) and offensive lineman Nate Solder (not injury-related).

DOLPHINS: Miami’s offensive line situation deteriorated this week from inconsistent to intolerable, and now Coach Adam Gase is dealing with the fallout.

Gase hit the reset button Wednesday by hiring Dave DeGuglielmo as senior offensive assistant. He’ll help fill the void created by the departure of offensive line coach Chris Foerster, who resigned Monday when a video surfaced that appeared to show him snorting a white powder while sweet-talking a Las Vegas model.

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There’s no evidence any issues involving Foerster involved others in the organization, Gase said.

“To me it was an isolated incident,” Gase said. “There were a lot of people who were just a little surprised.”

MIKE DITKA has apologized for saying he wasn’t aware of any racial oppression over the last 100 years in the United States.

The famed Chicago Bears coach came under fire for making the comments during a radio interview Monday about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. He issued an apology the next day, saying he was talking about professional football and not society as a whole.

“I have absolutely seen oppression in society in the last 100 years,” the Hall of Fame tight end and Super Bowl-winning coach said in statement to WGN-TV in Chicago. “The interview was about the NFL and related issues. That’s where my head was at.”

The interview aired before the Chicago Bears played the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.

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TITANS: Quarterback Marcus Mariota says he feels a lot better than a week ago. Whether he plays Monday night against the Indianapolis Colts remains to be seen and will depend on how much Mariota can move around.

Mariota did not play last week in a 16-10 loss to Miami because of a strained left hamstring.

The Titans (2-3) practiced Wednesday taking advantage of an extra day, and Mariota says he was able to participate in a good amount of the session. But Mariota says he wasn’t able to do everything.

GIANTS: New York indefinitely suspended Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie after the cornerback left the team’s facilities before practice on Wednesday.

Coach Ben McAdoo announced the suspension after practice. The second-year coach had met with Rodgers-Cromartie on Tuesday and told him that he would not be active for this Sunday’s game in Denver because of something the 31-year-old either said or did during Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

COLTS: Andrew Luck will be back on the practice field Thursday and Saturday. Coach Chuck Pagano gave the update during a conference call Wednesday.

Pagano described Luck’s progression as “coming along good.”

The Colts’ quarterback returned to practice last Wednesday, the first time he’s worked out with his teammates since having surgery on his throwing shoulder in January.

A lawsuit filed in Minneapolis accuses former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson of defaulting on a $2.4 million loan.


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