INDIANAPOLIS — Talking for the primary time since his 11-day absence tending to what have been described as “private issues,” Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady mentioned Saturday that he “feels good” and that it was not a tough resolution to step away from the workforce.
“It is all private. Everybody’s obtained totally different conditions they’re coping with,” Brady mentioned. “All of us have actually distinctive challenges to our life. I am 45 years previous, man. There’s quite a lot of s— occurring. Simply gotta attempt to determine life the perfect you possibly can. It is a steady course of.”
When requested if he was capable of deal with the problems he wanted to deal with throughout his time away, and if he’s in a greater place now, Brady mentioned, “I am able to go.”
Brady, who had pre-arranged the break with the workforce and had it cleared, thanked the Bucs for his or her assist for permitting him to take the prolonged absence so near the beginning of the common season. He additionally not directly shot down rumors that he needed to play elsewhere.
“I believe since I got here to this group, it has been wonderful — it is simply been an incredible expertise for me to come back to this place and be as supported as I’ve for an extended time frame,” Brady mentioned. “I learn all these tales about all these totally different locations I used to be purported to go or might have gone. And I used to be like, ‘I solely was gonna go to at least one place, which was right here.’ I believe this complete group is aware of that.”
Final week UFC president Dana White mentioned Brady was poised to signal with the Las Vegas Raiders earlier than becoming a member of the Buccaneers in 2020, with White saying Brady even went so far as in search of a home in Vegas, and that former Raiders coach Jon Gruden killed the deal.
An NFL investigation additionally decided that Miami Dolphins proprietor Stephen Ross contacted Brady and his agent, Don Yee, about becoming a member of their group in December 2021. Ross was fined $1.5 million for having impermissible contact. Brady confronted no self-discipline.
“All of the conversations we have had over a time frame — I selected the suitable place for me. And I am very pleased with the trouble that everybody’s put in to make the connection work. [Owner/co-chairman] Joel [Glazer] has been wonderful. [General manager] Jason [Licht’s] an incredible good friend of mine. Bruce [Arians],Todd [Bowles], all of the coaches. It has been an incredible relationship and I am very grateful to everyone for permitting me to come back down right here and expertise this a part of my soccer life which, [if] I seemed again, it will most likely be incomplete had I not had it. I am completely satisfied I’ve had it.”
Brady practiced in full for 3 days this week and began in opposition to the Colts, enjoying one sequence. The aim was to attempt to get him round 10 performs. He accomplished 6 of 8 passes for 44 yards, organising a 30-yard area aim by Ryan Succop.
After incompletions to large receivers Tyler Johnson and Mike Evans, the Bucs went no-huddle, and Brady accomplished six straight passes, together with a 20-yard completion to Julio Jones — their first in-game connection collectively. It was additionally the primary time practically the entire Bucs’ starters on offense performed collectively.
“It was clean,” mentioned rookie operating again Rachaad White. “Tom’s Tom. He is our chief. He is every thing we wish. He is our captain. It was only a nice feeling to have him again on the market. He is iconic.”
