NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. (Sept. 1, 2005) -- New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi says he plans to play next year after taking this season off to recover from a mild stroke.
Bruschi, in an interview with The Boston Globe, broke his silence about his future, which he said includes conducting a public awareness campaign about strokes. He was stricken in February.
"I'm definitely playing next year," he said in the interview from his North Attleborough home. "That's my ace in the hole. It's a little hard to sit back and watch the guys (this season), but it's easier knowing I've got something to look forward to."
Bruschi suffered a stroke 10 days after the Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in the Super Bowl -- only three days after playing in his first Pro Bowl.
The Patriots put Bruschi on the physically unable to perform list, which allows them to pay him his salary this year, and he has been working out at Gillette Stadium.
"My goal is to play football again, but it wouldn't have been my goal if my doctors weren't on board and my family wasn't on board. They are," he said in the Globe's Sept. 2 editions.
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