Categories: 3.2 Rumors General News Injuries Speculation
| On 11 years ago

Did Tom Brady reveal Vikings’ Week 4 starter?

By Nam Huynh

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, friend and former teammate of Vikings quarterback Matt Cassel, may have accidentally broke some inside news.

According to Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com, Brady was talking about his former backup quarterbacks, Cassel and current Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer, in general when he said the following:

“I’m friends with both those guys,” Brady said. “Matt Cassel, who may be starting this weekend. Brian, I text back and forth.”

It was discovered Wednesday that Vikings starter Christian Ponder has injured ribs from  last week’s loss and was limited in practice. Cassel got more repetitions in practice while Ponder rested.

“If I can’t fulfill my duties, then Matt’s going to step in and play,” Ponder said, via Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

Head coach Leslie Frazier wouldn’t comment much on the subject, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

“We want to see how Christian does today,” Frazier said. The coach said he hasn’t necessarily started game-planning for backup Matt Cassel, but wouldn’t really have to alter the game plan if Cassel is the starter.

Meanwhile, Cassel says Ponder looked just fine.

“He looked like Christian,” Cassel said. “He looked great, and he was throwing the ball fine.”

Yeah.

There is some fishy business here. Remember last year’s Wild Card game? Ponder’s injury was revealed early in the week leading up to the game, but the team was coy about the injury and was vague leading up to the game. The team had both comments of optimism and vagueness on different occasions in their comments to the press. They did not reveal that Ponder would not play until minutes before the game. But looking back, there was no way he was going to play in that game, based on the severity of the bruise on his throwing arm.

Nam Huynh

Tags: Chrisitan Ponder matt cassel tom brady

View Comments

  • “He looked like Christian,” Cassel said. “He looked great, and he was throwing the ball fine.”

    Well wait, which one was it? Either he looked like Christian, or he looked great and threw the ball fine. You can't have both.

  • Or.... maybe... he simply does have a rib injury that makes him questionable for Sundays game.

  • It's time to change things up a little and not just at qb. I would give Mauti and Hodges a little action and try a couple different olinemen as well. Can always put the "starters" back in if it gets too ugly.

      • I don't believe we could fit Freeman's salary under our cap. They would almost need to shed a big salary, say trade Jared Allen for Freeman and a Tampa draft pick. We were interested in Cassel and wisely waited until he was cut before bringing him in. It doesn't sound like Freeman has much trade value at the moment, so unless the Vikings wanted to use this as an opportunity to shed a salary like Jared's to get a pick and bonus player, they might as well wait for the crap to hit the fan and Freeman get's cut or just check him out when he hits free agency if they decide to keep him around all year. I would certainly be interested in bringing him in if it didn't cost much. Not likely that he would come in without knowing anything about our offense and have much success this year.

        • I think you could probably give him a contract extension and restructure it so the cap hit will not be so much. The Vikes have a ton of cap room next year ( Approx 32 million). A late round pick 6th or 7th could be a worth while investment. We still have Seattle's 3rd round pick next year for the Harvin trade.

  • I just read this comment on another site and I just have to share it;

    "Cleveland's game plan on defense was to make the Vikings pass the ball.
    Pittsburgh's plan on defense will be to avoid hitting Ponder in the ribs."

  • This is nothing earth shattering. Teams are always coy about what they say about injuries. Wasn't Tom Brady listed as "questionable" for about 14 games last year and about 3/4ths of the Patriots were on the injury report? It's Musgrave and the O-line and the Vikes defense that are actually "questionable" or "doubtful".

  • Well I see many of you are gonna get your wish. Cassel is starting Sunday. For the record, I do not see this as good news, but I fully accept my minority standing with that opinion. Good luck Matt.

    • When Cassel has his head ripped off and the Steeler's are playing soccer with it, by the end of the first quarter, everybody will be wanting Ponder back in. Then the coach will look at Ponder and Ponder will tell the coach I'm still hurt coach.

    • Coach, speaking just for myself, don't confuse my anti-Ponder attitude as a pro-Cassel attitude. I have enough contempt in me for the both of 'em.

  • Hi guys, Adam here. I am in the process of moving to our new house and won't have Internet until Monday. Enjoy the London Cassel cluster bunch that is the 2013 Vikings!

  • our season is just games now, no playoffs, so with ponder out, we can see what cassel can do, and we're one step closer to mbt getting a chance