Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady started a break of at least 10 days from his team’s training camp this week. It’s a hiatus that, per the team, had been scheduled in advance.
The only reason given for Brady leaving the team is “personal reasons.” That has sparked plenty of speculation as to what the personal reasons may be.
Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that “[t]he scheduled absence has nothing to do with Brady’s or his family members’ health.”
So it appears that it really was/is just a break from the training-camp grind for the 45-year-old quarterback.
It’s unclear whether Brady specifically negotiated the in-camp vacation when he unretired, or whether it came up after that. Regardless, the Bucs aren’t about to say no to the man who puts butts in the seats and points on the board and, ultimately, cash in the coffers.
He’ll return with three weeks to prepare for the regular-season opener. And even though it will be human nature for some who were left behind to bristle about Brady’s absence, it’s one of the benefits of being the best to ever do it. Indeed, most teams would rather have Brady with a 10-day break in camp over whoever their quarterback is with #nodaysoff.