Bill Belichick shuts down question about Tom Brady’s OTA absence

Reporting on which NFL players are absent from organized team activities has become an annual tradition. However, the voluntary nature of OTAs has given Bill Belichick an easy route to side-step questions.

When asked if Tom Brady’s absence from workouts affected the team’s OTA work, per Ryan Hannable of WEEI, Belichick deflected.

Brady — who spent time in Monaco instead of participating in the workouts — showed for the beginning of mandatory minicamp, as noted by NESN’s Doug Kyed.

The concerns about a rift between Brady and Belichick are real, but the veteran missing voluntary workouts wasn’t a big deal.

Still, Belichick has no interest in discussing the situation. He cited a good relationship with Brady, per Zach Cox of NESN, and that’s about it.

Neither side will reveal much, but Brady is there for mandatory work. The NFL world should never have expected anything less.

By David Kenyon

Writer for Sportsnaut and Bleacher Report, mostly covering college football as well as the NFL, NBA and college basketball.