Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady caused a stir this summer by missing training camp for personal time to spend with his family. Now, the future Hall of Famer who is viewed as one of the most tireless workers and relentless players in NFL history will be receiving a personal day during each week of the 2022 season.
When Brady came out of retirement and returned to the Buccaneers, he made it clear that he still needed to prioritize his family more moving forward. He already had a scheduled vacation with them, leading to his mid-summer absence, and rumors of issues in his personal life have surrounded the 45-year-old quarterback.
- Tom Brady career stats: 84,732 passing yards, 625 passing touchdowns, 244-73 record, 97.6 quarterback rating
While the oldest starter in the NFL played relatively well in a Week 1 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, the game is taking a toll on him. He admitted in his Let’s Go! podcast prior to Week 2 that he was feeling quite sore after the season opener. He’s also detailed how the things going on in his personal life have weighed on him this year.
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Now, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Buccaneers will grant Brady a personal day every Wednesday for the remainder of the 2022 NFL season. While Tampa Bay intends to provide several of its veterans with rest days during the season, there is an emphasis on Brady receiving the time to be with his family.
It’s another sign that this will likely be Brady’s final year in the NFL. While he certainly doesn’t regret the decision to return and compete for an eighth Super Bowl, it clearly came at a cost. Fortunately, the Buccaneers are happy to provide him with whatever time is necessary to be around his wife and kids more moving forward this fall.
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Tampa Bay is also taking the approach that Brady’s absence provides backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert with valuable first-team reps during practice each week. It’s a nice boost for him in the unlikely event Brady gets injured, but losing the NFL MVP candidate would likely crater the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl odds.