Tom Brady ‘is absent from Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ training camp for personal reasons’

Tom Brady will not return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ training camp until August 20 after missing time due to personal reasons. 

The quarterback was not present at training camp Thursday morning due to ‘personal, non-football reasons’.

Head coach Todd Bowles confirmed after the session that Brady will not return until after the Buccaneers’ second preseason game against the Titans which is set to take place on August 20. 

The star quarterback, pictured with wife Gisele Bundchen, is absent due to ‘personal reasons’

Brady pictured with Gisele and his children Jack, 14, Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, nine

Bowles revealed the absence has been scheduled before training camp began and insisted Brady was missing because he had something he ‘needed to handle’ but claimed he had a high level of confidence that the star will be back for Week 1. 

‘Tom has been excused today,’ Bowles confirmed in a press conference after practice. 

‘He will be back some time after Tennessee. He’s going to deal with some personal things. 

‘It’s something we talked about before training camp started. We allotted this time because he wanted to get in and get chemistry with the guys and go through two weeks of training camp.  

Head coach Todd Bowles confirmed Brady’s absence had been scheduled before camp

‘Knowing he wasn’t go to play the first two games, he didn’t want to take away reps from Blaine and Kyle as well as Ryan as far as going into these next two games. 

‘It’s something he needed to handle. We trust him, we talked about it. It was scheduled way before training camp. He will not be here until after Tennessee.’ 

When asked if it was a health-related matter, Bowles reiterate that it was a ‘personal issue’ and said he did not believe it would impact the progress the offense is making. 

Brady also missed time last week, citing personal matters, and the Bucs equally excused his absence then. 

The star quarterback also missed practice last week, which Tampa Bay equally excused

His latest absence is the third time in eight days that he has not been on the field with the team. 

Brady was not on the field on his 45th birthday, August 3, which was scheduled, and he was excused from practice two days later. 

Gisele Bundchen, who Brady has been married to since 2009, wished him a happy birthday last week by sharing a photo of him and their children Vivian and Benjamin to Instagram.

His Tampa Bay teammate, running back Leonard Fournette, chose to honor Brady in style, arranging a cake which best describes how those in New England, Tampa and many across the US feel about him.

Fournette got Brady a completed custom and sculpted goat cake made in Tampa by Kristina Lavallee and colleagues at The Cake Girl bakery — just eight miles from the Buccaneers practice facility.

His wife Gisele wished  the 45-year-old a happy birthday last week by sharing a photo of him and their children Vivian and Benjamin to Instagram 

 Brady’s Bucs teammate Leonard Fournette got him a sculpted goat cake to celebrate 

He returned and participated in training on Sunday through to Wednesday before missing Thursday’s session. 

Brady spent the offseason with his wife Gisele and their children, Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, nine, and his son Jack, 14, who he shares with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan.

The absences come after Brady was caught up in the Dolphins’ tampering scandal when the franchise were hit with huge penalties for ‘impermissible communications’ with the Tampa Bay star. 

The Buccaneers will face the Dolphins Saturday in their preseason opener but Brady was unlikely to play regardless. 

On Thursday, Brady’s former Patriots teammate James White announced his retirement from the NFL after a storied eight-year career.

The former Wisconsin star played all eight seasons in New England and is a three-time Super Bowl champion.

Despite being away from the football field, Brady paid tribute to his former teammate on Instagram, saying ‘Teammate, champion, football player through and through. Congrats on the perfect career @sweetfeet.’

 Also on Thursday, Brady’s former Patriots teammate James White announced his retirement