FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady wants loud fans cheering for his team in Sunday’s home opener. He even had a suggestion for their pre-game activities.

“Yeah, start drinking early,” he said with a grin, drawing laughter from reporters at his locker on Wednesday. “It’s a 4:15 (p.m.) game. They have a lot of time to get lubed up, come out here and cheer for the home team.”

Less than an hour later, Patriots spokesman Stacey James said Brady wanted to clarify his remarks. The quarterback, James said, “wants everyone to drink a lot of water, stay hydrated. Drink responsibly.”

New England, coming off a 38-24 win at the Miami Dolphins in its season opener, faces the San Diego Chargers, 24-17 winners over the Minnesota Vikings.

Last September, Brady said he wasn’t happy that fans left Gillette Stadium early in a season-opening 38-24 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Perhaps they just expect the three-time Super Bowl champions to do well.

“We’ve spoiled our fans, is that what you’re saying?” Brady said Wednesday. “If we make good plays, they’re going to scream. If we don’t make good plays, they’re going to probably boo us. So we’re going to focus on trying to make good plays.

“The crowd, it always helps when they’re loud, but we have to give them reasons to be loud. We have to give them reasons to cheer for us.”

Patriots sign Thomas

The New England Patriots have signed offensive lineman Donald Thomas to bolster a unit that lost center Dan Koppen to an ankle injury.

Koppen is expected to miss an extended period after being hurt late in the first half of Monday night’s season-opening 38-24 win at the Miami Dolphins.

Thomas was drafted by Miami in 2008 in the sixth round out of Connecticut and spent two seasons with the Dolphins and one with Detroit. He signed with the Lions last Nov. 23 and was inactive for the last six games.

He was released on Sept. 3.

In Wednesday’s other moves, the Patriots released offensive lineman Thomas Welch, signed tight end Garrett Mills and linebacker Jeff Tarpinian to the practice squad and released linebacker Aaron Lavarias from the practice squad.