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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Patriots don't need to look far for an example of the non-guaranteed nature of the quarterback position in the NFL. Last week, New England opposed first-time starter Tyler Palko in a win over the Chiefs and the coming weeks could bring the likes of Philadelphia's Vince Young, Indianpolis' Curtis Painter, Washington's John Beck, Denver's Tim Tebow and Miami's Matt Moore. Four of those teams recently made Mel Kiper Jr.'s list of worst quarterback situations (Insider) in the league.

Despite sitting out nearly the entire 2008 season due to injury, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will shuffle up to fourth place in the NFL in consecutive starts this weekend with his 43rd straight game starting under center. He'll sit behind only the Giants' Eli Manning (113), Chargers' Philip Rivers (91), and Baltimore's Joe Flacco (59).

But as the Patriots prepare for both Eagles starter Michael Vick (questionable with a rib injury after sitting out all three practice sessions this week) or Young, it's fair to wonder how equipped the Patriots would be if Brady were to endure another season-ending malady. On Friday, Patriots coach Bill Belichick talked at length about rookie quarterback Ryan Mallett and his development as the team's third-string quarterback behind Brady and Brian Hoyer.

"I think at that position, so much of it is about playing," said Belichick. "Certainly, from a mechanics standpoint [and] from a physical standpoint, I think he’s made a lot of improvements, as [Tom] Brady did. Brady’s rookie year, he was like 205 or 207 [pounds] or whatever it was, he gained a lot of strength in both his upper and his lower body. That’s helped him, both in throwing and taking hits, durability and all that. Ryan’s definitely gotten on that program, he spends a lot of time in the weight room and doing what we ask him to do. A lot of his job is working with the defense, but when he gets the opportunity to work with some of our other receivers after practice -- receivers, backs, tight ends, whoever it is.

"Also, one of the good things about the backup quarterback is he’s always working against our defense. Whatever you think of our defense, it’s the best that we can put out there, so [Mallett is] getting reps against our best players on defense, what they’re doing relative to our scout defense, trying to simulate what our opponents are doing. I think those reps are good, too, because as a quarterback, you make that competitive. You’re trying to complete a pass and execute a play against a defense that sort of knows it’s coming and they’re sort of geared to stop it, hopefully. That’s a competitive situation, too."

Belichick then took a stroll down memory lane, traveling all the way back to the 1979 season (Mallett was still nearly a decade away from being born in 1988), to offer some high praise for Mallett while comparing him to then-rookie Phil Simms.

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Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was a guest on NFL Network after being named the No. 1 player in the “Top 100 Players” poll voted on by players.

His reaction to being named the top player by his peers?

“Thanks Lindsay [Soto] and I appreciate you guys having me on, and I hope everyone is having a great Fourth of July weekend,” Brady answered (video on NFL.com). “It’s very flattering. I think I’ve been really fortunate over the years to play with an incredible organization and an incredible group of players. This year was really a great year for our team in the regular season. We accomplished some great things. The things that I love about football, that I’ve always loved, that I think draws each player in the NFL to this game, is that it’s a team sport. The great teammates that I’ve ever had, the teammates I had this year, nobody would really accomplish anything without the help of every single guy on that team and every coach. It’s very flattering, like I said, but ultimately I give all the thanks to teammates past and present. They’re what really makes this game special for me.”

After answering questions on Peyton Manning and Ray Lewis, lauding their excellence, Brady was asked how to went from sixth-round draft choice to superstar despite not playing with many big-name stars on offense.

"To me, I play with the best guys. There's nobody -- Deion Branch and Wes Welker, there are no two better receivers; those are the two guys I'd want to play with every single game," he answered. "David Givens and Troy Brown and David Patten, these incredible players we've had over the years that have led to the success of the organization at the skill positions -- and Corey Dillon and Antowain Smith. I've played with phenomenal players, Christian Fauria at tight end, and we have some young tight ends now.

"Each of these guys leaves a lasting impact on our team, and our offense has always been built around the players that we have and it's built around their strengths. I think we've had incredible players both offensively and defensively, and the competitiveness that we've played against each other in practice, I think is the reason we've continued to improve as a team year in and year out. That's really brought on by our coach. I think he really stresses that. It's very competitive in practice. Really, the guys that make it on our team are guys that last, guys that play significant roles on our team are guys that are professionals, that want to work, that love the game, and ultimately that want to be champions."

Nearly five months after being named NFL MVP, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will have a chance to add to his 2010 season trophy case.

Brady has been nominated for the 2011 "Best NFL Player" ESPY Award, an award he took home at the 2008 ESPYs for his performance in the 2007 season.

Other nominees include Texans running back Arian Foster, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Fans can cast their vote for all ESPY awards here through July 9. The 2011 ESPYs will air live on ESPN at 9 p.m., Wednesday, July 13.

Sports Illustrated puts together its eighth-annual "Fortunate 50", which is a compilation of the 50 top-earning American athletes by salary, winnings, endorsements and appearance fees.

Quarterback Tom Brady is ninth on the list, with SI breaking it down this way:

$20 million in salary/winnings
$10 million in endorsements

"Brady's four-year, $72 million extension signed last September gives him the highest average annual salary in the NFL," Jonah Freedman writes. "He's due to collect $10 million of his $16 million signing bonus in August."

Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is fourth ($38 million), while Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is eighth ($32.7 million), putting Brady third when it comes to NFL players.

Golfers Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are 1-2 on the list.

Elsewhere in Boston, the Celtics' Kevin Garnett is seventh ($32.8 million), the Red Sox' Carl Crawford is 28th ($20.5 million), the Red Sox' Josh Beckett is 46th ($16.1 million) and the Celtics' Paul Pierce is 49th ($15.6 million).

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady shares his thoughts on his ailing quarterback mentor, Tom Martinez, with Sports Illustrated's Peter King in this week's "Monday Morning Quarterback" column.

Martinez, sadly, has been told he has less than one month to live.

"We've been trying to get together this offseason for a session, and finally we met last Sunday at an indoor facility in San Carlos. We spent two hours there," Brady tells King. "He analyzed what I was doing, just like always. And when I got in the car with my dad afterward, I said to him, 'It's unbelievable how much he knows -- how much he helps me.'"

Brady tells King that he keeps 16 years worth of notes from Martinez in his Blackberry, which he refers to "my guide to stay right with my mechanics.''

"Every time you step on the field, whether there's weather, whether you're on the road, where you've got a big pass-rush coming, it always comes down to mechanics," Brady says in MMQB. "He instilled in me the importance of doing things the right way, every time.''

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has spoken regularly about the impact Tom Martinez has had on his career, as Martinez served as his mentor for decades. Martinez, sadly, has been told he's in his final days.

The San Jose Mercury News had the following item in its Sunday's editions:

"Tom Martinez, Tom Brady's quarterback mentor and a San Mateo County coaching icon, took to Facebook to announce doctors have told him that he has no more than a month to live. He's suffered from complications brought about by diabetes for a number of years. But as recently as last Sunday, Martinez gave a tutorial session to Brady, a former Serra High star and reigning NFL MVP for New England."

Mercury News reporter Glenn Reeves wrote more on Martinez, including a comment from Tom Brady Sr.

"This will be such a loss to so many kids on the Peninsula, not to have him be there as a mentor,'' Brady Sr. told the Mercury News. "In our family he helped all three of our daughters and our son as recently as last Sunday. He had just got out of the hospital Saturday, but on Sunday he was sitting in his chair directing what was to be done. He is one of the great tacticians ever. His passing will be a major loss."

When the Patriots were in the playoffs following the 2005 season, the Boston Globe put together the following "Breaking down Brady" presentation, which was narrated by Martinez.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Soundbites from Tom Brady’s Best Buddies charity football game at Harvard on Friday night:

His participation as host: “It’s a great event. We have much more support this year than we did last year. This is something very close to me. Katie Meade is my buddy. She is a great person, a great woman, and I think she is a great representative of Best Buddies. It’s good to be here with her.”

Team workouts the last three days at BC: “It’s been fun; it’s been fun to see a lot of the guys. I think there was a lot of good work. You see a lot of the guys who came out to support this, with Wes [Welker] and Julian [Edelman] and Nate Solder, who is a rookie. This is a great event. Tedy [Bruschi] is out here. His new nickname is Kilimanja-Bru [in reference to his climb of Mount Kilimanjaro]. It’s been a lot of fun this week. This is a great way to cap it off.”

His health in recovering from January foot surgery: “I feel good, good enough to run around here and have fun. I’m excited for football season.”

How long he thinks it will be before returning to football: “Nobody knows. Hopefully soon. There has been a lot of positive news from both sides. Everyone is working hard for a great outcome. I’m confident that a lot of reasonable people will come to a very reasonable agreement.”

If he feels obligated as a leader of the team to bring players together: “No, there were a lot of people that were instrumental in getting everybody together. We have a lot of great leaders on our team. I’ve been here for a long time, so as a veteran on the team, not just a quarterback, there are a lot of guys who are really working hard. That’s what we need.”

Could lack of CBA progress reach a point where the football quality might be affected: “I hope not. Everyone is just dealing with it – the players are dealing with it as best we know how and the owners are. Like I said, hopefully there is a great outcome. I’m relatively confident that there will be.”

On the Bruins in the Stanley Cup: “It was exciting the other night. I wish we would have pulled it out. It was a bummer about the Celtics. The Red Sox had a tough four days. We have a pretty good thing going in Boston right now with our sports teams. We get such great support from our fans and from you guys who cover us and care so much about what we’re doing. I think it’s really a pleasure to play in front of people who really care.”

On having his name on NFL lawsuit and being a leader in that regard: “The players, we all stick together. We realize how important each one of us are to each other. A lot of guys really care about the game. The guys that have been around for a while understand what it takes for us to grow the league, to be a part of the business of the NFL, to be great representatives for the NFL, and to leave the NFL in better shape than when we came into it. I think that’s the responsibility of all players – young or old. A lot of guys really do a great job of that. So, like I said, I’ve seen a lot of things. I’m not as young as I used to be, but I also feel like the veteran players are really the ones that need to support what’s going on right now. Everyone does a great job of that.”

On if he got a haircut: "A little one, a little one."

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is the country's second-most influential athlete, according to a ranking by Forbes. Brady is a new addition to the Top-10 list after winning the NFL's Most Valuable Player award.

"Steady as she goes, Brady's talent and work ethic keep him consistently near the top, even as one of the few to hit double digits on the "dislike" meter," Forbes writes.

Brady edges Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who is seventh. NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson ranks first.

Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal is the other Boston-based athlete on the list, ranking fourth.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady hasn't said much publicly, if at all, about his role as a lead plaintiff in the players' antitrust suit against the NFL. Today, as part of an Under Armour draft chat, Brady was asked if he believes there will be a 2011 season.

“I believe it," he responded to host Boomer Esiason in video viewed through UStream. "Certainly I think there are too many players and too many owners that want it. There are a lot of people in the negotiating room and I know players are looking out, not only for ourselves, but for the past players, and the owners are trying to build a business.

"I think with any of that, there needs to be compromise. I know that before now and whenever the scheduled start of the season is – whether it’s training camp or the first game of the season – I think there are going to be a lot of talks that take place, a lot of negotiating sessions, and hopefully a lot of compromise comes from that. That’s business."

"The Brady 6" documentary will be broadcast on Tuesday (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET) and below is a video clip from Tom Brady reflecting on his 2000 draft day experience.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady appears to be on schedule in his recovery from Jan. 20 surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot, as evidenced by his presence in a Thursday on-field workout in Los Angeles.

A news story of Brady's progress is now posted on ESPNBoston.com.

Images of Brady's on-field workout were snapped by Flynet photographs and generated a buzz on the internet Friday. The Patriots, on their official Twitter account, made note of the photos through a "re-tweet".

Quarterback Tom Brady's decision to be a lead plaintiff in the event that the player's union heads to court in its labor battle with owners was a topic of discussion at the fifth annual MIT Sloan School of Management sports analytics conference Friday.

Marc Thaler writes on the topic in a piece now posted on ESPNBoston.com. Brady's decision is described as symbolic, although unlikely to be a big factor in the final outcome.

"This is about public relations,” said Mike McCann, an associate professor of law at Vermont Law School. “Fans are going to look at the issues and be frustrated by both sides. Using Tom Brady as a name is not going to dramatically influence fans.”

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is the overwhelming favorite to win the Associated Press Most Valuable Player Award, which will be announced Sunday morning as part of the lead-in to the Super Bowl.

Here is one view of the top possibilities from the regular season, based on strength of candidacy:

1. Tom Brady -- In leading the Patriots to a 14-2 regular-season record, he finished with 36 touchdowns and just four interceptions, setting the NFL record for consecutive passes without an interception. His leadership was especially important given the youth on the roster.

2. Michael Vick -- The Eagles were initially questioned by many for trading Donovan McNabb, especially within the NFC East, but Vick quickly won over those critics. The dynamic quarterback had some dazzling performances, finishing with 21 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

3. Aaron Rodgers -- Without much of a ground game, the Packers quarterback took a lot of responsibility on his own shoulders, playing some of his best at the end of the season. In four of his final seven starts, he had at least three touchdowns and no interceptions.

4. Peyton Manning -- The Colts' offense was depleted because of injuries, but Manning still helped direct Indianapolis to the AFC South championship. The 17 interceptions were his most since 2002, as he had to adjust on the fly with new targets.

5. Matt Cassel -- The Chiefs quarterback finished with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His value to the team was highlighted based on what happened when he didn't suit up -- a 31-0 loss to the Chargers on Dec. 12.

6. Troy Polamalu -- The Steelers safety, who was named Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year, made plays that win games, such as his strip sack of Joe Flacco on Dec. 5 that gave Pittsburgh the inside track to the AFC's No. 2 seed.

7. Darrelle Revis -- How does a cornerback without an interception have such value? When opponents hardly test his side of the field, it makes the game that much easier to play for the Jets.

DALLAS -- In an interview on NFL Network, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady commented on winning the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year award, his recent foot surgery, the Patriots' offense, leadership and what he likes about Super Bowl quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers.

Here is the Q&A from the interview with Fran Charles and Steve Mariucci:

What does winning Offensive Player of the Year mean to you?
“I appreciate it. I think obviously we had a great regular season as a team, but we just didn’t really take advantage of our opportunity there in the month of January. The two teams that are there playing this week certainly have earned it. They should be very proud. It’s going to be a great game.”

Early in the season, the Patriots traded away Randy Moss and conventional wisdom was that you would no longer be able to stretch the field. But you finished up the [regular] season beautifully, going the last 11 [regular-season] games without throwing an interception. What was the difference for you during the second half of the season, which allowed the Patriots offense to take off?
“It’s definitely a collective effort by the group of skill players that we have and the offensive line. I think when you trade away a talent like that, a guy who is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, other guys have to step in and do their job and fill the void – a big void [left] by a great player. BenJarvus [Green-Ellis] rushed for 1,000 yards. Danny Woodhead made up for the loss of Kevin Faulk. Kevin was one of the best players that we’ve ever had on the team; Danny stepped in and played a great role for us. The group of receivers, with Deion [Branch] and Wes [Welker], and Julian Edelman and Brandon Tate, they did an incredible job, really committing themselves to the passing game -- that we were going to do whatever we needed to do to get the ball in the end zone. Obviously, the tight end position, with two young tight ends – Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, and with Alge [Crumpler], we had a great group of skill players. It was a lot of fun each week trying to find different ways to utilize all of those guys so that we can go into the game feeling really good, feeling prepared, with the game-plan [and] understanding that if we just went out and executed well that we were going to score some points.”

You mentioned those young tight ends, but you were young on the other side of the ball as well. When you won those Super Bowls, you were a leader on the team as a quarterback, but you had some leadership help on defense with some veterans. Now, you’re such a young team, and you seem to take on the responsibility of the entire team. Is that an additional responsibility that you welcome, because it seemed to be a little different than those Super Bowl years?
“It’s a privilege. I wouldn’t say it’s as much a responsibility to have that type of role on the team, where the coach really trusts you, where the players can elect you as a captain on the team. It’s something that’s the greatest award you can have as a player – the respect of your teammates and the respect of your coaches. I really relish that. That’s something about playing quarterback that I’ve always really enjoyed. Along with myself and Jerod Mayo and Alge Crumpler and Vince Wilfork and Kevin Faulk, it was a great group [of captains]. I think all those young players really did rely on the veteran leadership and the captains to guide us over the course of the season. The young players really responded and now those guys will be called upon next year by the younger guys to lead them. That’s what happens with the turnover in the league – you lose Willie McGinest and Ty Law and Tedy Bruschi and Lawyer Milloy and Rodney Harrison, all these great players that I’ve had a chance to play with and learn from most importantly – and now I’m in a position where I try to convey that message to younger players. It’s something I take very, very seriously.”

The two quarterbacks who will be competing in the Super Bowl – Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger – if there was a little something you could take away from their game and implement it into yours, what would it be for both?
“There would be a lot of things. Those are two of the best quarterbacks in the league. They’re both excellent players; I had a chance to play against Ben [Roethlisberger] this year and we played the Packers but Aaron [Rodgers] unfortunately couldn’t play that day. From watching him on film quite a bit this season, he really had a remarkable season of his own. They’re two players who are really accurate passers, especially on the run. That’s something that is extremely hard to do, to make good decisions out of the pocket. I find that’s always challenging for me, when things don’t go like you practice them, what kind of decision-making can you use out there? I think both those guys, some of their strongest attributes are what they’re able to do when they’re moving around and buying time and allowing their guys more time to get open. Both guys really feed off that. They’re great players, and like I said, they’ve led their teams to this game and I’m happy for them both.”

DALLAS -- In an NFL Network interview tonight, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady commented on his foot surgery for the first time.

“I had surgery about a week ago, actually about 10 days ago; it’s just something that’s been lingering a little bit," Brady told NFL Network during an interview to announce him as the winner of the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year.

"Over the course of the season, a lot of players throughout the league, a lot of players on our team deal with these type of injuries. Part of having a little bit of mental toughness is putting those things aside and still going out and trying to perform your best each week. I have a great training staff and my friend Alex [Guerrero] that works with me weekly. I’m in great hands and they were able to get me out on the field feeling good and I was able to go out there and help our team win the AFC East, which we’re all very proud of.”

NFL Network's Steve Mariucci noted that Brady walked on camera with the aid of crutches.