New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, 31, the 2007 NFL MVP, injured a ligament in his left knee earlier this month, ending his season. It's tough to say who is more upset about this turn of events, Patriots fans or the many girls who think the only redeeming thing about football season is sexy, lycra-rocking studs like Tom Brady.

The broad-shouldered Brady, arguably the best QB in the league, made headlines in late 2006 when he dumped his actress girlfriend - Bridget Moynahan - for Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundechen, 28. Gisele, a pouty-lipped lingerie goddess, is the highest-paid model in the world.

Shortly afterwards, in February 2007, jilted girlfriend Bridget Moynahan, best known for her roles in the films “Coyote Ugly,” “I, Robot,” and “Lord of War,” revealed she was preggers with Brady’s child. The former couple’s son, John Edward Moynahan, is now one.

But as they say, karma’s a bitch. The 6’4”, 225-pound New England Patriots quarterback injured his left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) earlier this month during the season-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs; the injury will require surgery and has effectively ended Brady’s season.

The ACL is one of the four major ligaments of the knee, connecting the bones of the knee joint. The function of the ACL is to provide stability to the knee and minimize stress across the knee joint. The ACL is the most commonly injured knee ligament and is often damaged by athletes.

The ACL is often torn during a dislocation or hyperextension of the knee, which is why it is such a common injury in sports like football, hockey and basketball. Usually the injury occurs when someone tries to rapidly change direction, resulting in the sudden twisting of the knee, or when a player is hit with a sudden high-pressure contact.

But girls who are stuck watching football every Sunday should look on the bright side: the new starting quarterback for the Patriots, Matt Cassel, is pretty freaking hot too – and he doesn’t have a supermodel girlfriend. Plus, with him at the helm, all of the Patriots should be available to socialize as soon as the regular season ends.

Related Links:

· Video:Understanding Knee Pain - from Illumistream video library.

· Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries from webmd site.

· Tom Brady - Official New England Patriots Biography