Tom Brady returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ training facility on Monday and practiced for the first time since leaving the club for personal reasons on Aug. 11.
Coach Todd Bowles said of Brady after practice, “He’s very familiar with the offense, so him coming back in and us getting back to work is kind of normal. Just getting used to the heat and getting used to the guys, but he ran the offense well. … We’re happy to have him back.”
Bowles also said he was not sure whether Brady would play in the Bucs’ preseason finale Saturday at Indianapolis.
Asked what Brady missed most during his time away from the team, Bowles said, “Probably just conditioning for the most part. He’s a film junkie — I’m sure he’s watched tape of everything. So (it’s) him coming back in, picking up where he left off, just getting used to the mechanics again.”
In terms of the attitude, Bowles said of the quarterback, “He’s been great. He’s been great, same as when he left. He’s been fine.”
Bowles added that Brady’s absence wasn’t a distraction for the team.
“It wasn’t a big deal to us because everybody knew what was going on,” Bowles said.
Brady jokingly addressed rumors that he spent his time away appearing on the television show, “The Masked Singer.”
On Monday, he tweeted a video of a motorcycle rider doing wheelies while wearing just a dark-masked helmet and Brady Brand underwear, writing, “Wasn’t on the masked singer last week. Was wearing a mask though.”
Wasn’t on the masked singer last week. Was wearing a mask though. https://t.co/E3wg9LaC1I
– Tom Brady (@TomBrady) August 22, 2022
Pro Football Network and TMZ reported that Brady spent at least part of his time away from the team with his wife, Gisele Bundchen, in the Bahamas.
Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion, had been absent from training camp since being excused from practice on Aug. 11. At the time, Bowles said Brady would be away for personal reasons until “sometime after” Tampa Bay’s second preseason game.
The Buccaneers open the regular season on Sept. 11 on the road against the Dallas Cowboys.
Brady, who turned 45 earlier this month, led the NFL with 5,316 passing yards and 43 touchdown passes in 2021.
The three-time MVP and 15-time Pro Bowl selection is the NFL’s all-time leader in touchdown passes and passing yards, attempts and completions.
–Field Level Media
