Brady in upbeat mood over knee rehabilitation

TORONTO (Reuters) - Sidelined by a knee injury since early September, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said on Wednesday his rehabilitation was going "really well."

Speaking in public for the first time since limping off the field in the season's opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, Brady was in relaxed mood but gave no hint of his likely return.

"It's tough to come back from injuries that require surgery," the twice Super Bowl MVP told a Toronto sports radio station.

"It's just a process. There are some good days and some bad days.

"You just gotta keep plugging through. That's life. Things come up and you've got to focus your energy and attention on all the positive things.

"I'm excited about the process," added Brady, speaking to The Fan 590. "I'm excited about the work and all the wonderful people who've helped me."

Asked to assess his rehabilitation, he replied: "It's going really well. It's going really well.

"I'm the most well-taken-care-of knee patient in history. I'm very, very fortunate."

Brady was injured in New England's 17-10 victory over Kansas when he stepped up into the pocket and was hit by safety Bernard Pollard.

He was replaced by Matt Cassel, a seldom-used quarterback who had not started a game since high school.

Brady previously led the Patriots to three Super Bowl victories in his eight seasons with the team. The Patriots were undefeated in 2007 until the Super Bowl when they lost 17-14 to the New York Giants.

(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford)