The operation, which may involve the insertion of a screw, is similar to what Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia had last fall for a fractured navicular bone. If the bone heals as expected, without any complications, Brady should be ready for training camp.

Brady’s stress fracture may stem from a preexisting injury that at one point required him to wear a walking boot. At some points this season, Brady struggled with mobility because of the stress fracture.

Word of the injury first surfaced in the days before the Patriots faced the Pittsburgh Steelers Nov. 14. Brady played in the game, a 39-26 victory, and completed 30 of 43 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns.

He missed a handful of practices in the course of the season but never missed a game. He managed the flareups and led the Patriots to a 14-2 regular-season record. His performance sparked MVP chatter and led to his sixth Pro Bowl selection.

Brady was named a starter for the Pro Bowl Jan. 30 in Hawaii, but he will be replaced by Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel.

In the weeks following the Steelers victory, Brady remained on the injury report, listed with foot and right shoulder ailments. Neither seemed to affect his production. When Brady was asked about the injuries during the season, he often dismissed any troubles. Playing through nagging injuries is nothing new for Brady. Toward the end of last season, reports surfaced that he played with cracked ribs.

He ended the season with 36 touchdown passes, a total he bettered only when he threw a record 50 in 2007. Brady completed 66 percent of his passes (324 of 492) for 3,900 yards.

Brady threw only four interceptions all season and set an NFL record for consecutive passes without an interception at 339. The streak ended last Sunday in the playoffs against the Jets when David Harris intercepted Brady’s pass in the first quarter and returned it 58 yards before tight end Alge Crumpler tackled him 12 yards shy of the end zone.