In recent weeks, I’ve been including links to stories about Tom Brady in the daily links post. There’s a minor thing that’s been percolating for a month, which is that Brady missed the first eleven days of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ season, which is really just preseason training. It became a story not only because Brady missed those days, but because he was so squirrelly about what was actually going on. We heard variations of “it’s a personal matter” or “it’s a family situation,” but no one had any details. We also know that Tom is 45 years old and he already tried to retire once this year, only to un-retire weeks later. So WTF is going on? Brady was still squirrelly about it when he finally did his first presser of the season.
Tom Brady formally addressed his 11-day absence from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as reporters attempted to pry more info out of the NFL superstar on Saturday. After being away for nearly two weeks due to “personal” reasons, the football icon returned to the field earlier this week. While speaking to reporters on Saturday after his only preseason game, Brady, 45, somewhat explained why he took time off.
“Everyone has different situations they’re dealing with, and we all have unique challenges to our lives,” he told reporters. “I’m 45 years old, man. There’s a lot of s— going on, so you just have to try and figure out life the best you can. You know, it’s a continuous process.”
Earlier this month, a source close to Brady told PEOPLE that he was not injured and was just taking personal time. According to Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles, Brady, and the team already discussed the absence before the start of training camp in July.
Meanwhile, league sources told Pro Football Talk that Brady may have been vacationing with wife Gisele Bündchen at “an exclusive resort” in the Bahamas during his absence.
“His commitment to family and having a personal life was at the heart of this hiatus from football, and there was no medical emergency, as speculated, or other reasons,” according to the website.
If he was on vacation, why not just say that? It could have been that, the last summer vacation before his kids started school, I guess. It feels like something else was going on, and his energy (or lack thereof) in the presser seemed “off” too. What’s going down at the Bundchen-Brady house? Is Gisele divorcing him? Was this a make-or-break vacation for their marriage?
I can’t recall this kind of Tom Brady at the podium. pic.twitter.com/SsPDoI8ClV
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) August 28, 2022
Photos courtesy of Getty.
I hope Gisele is dumping his ass after all of this. While I have zero love for Brady, I think it’s just as possible he regrets unretiring himself. He’s 45 there is just no way he can keep doing this. He may not want to admit it but he’s too old and even practice has got to hurt. I’m 38 and I can’t run or workout like I did in my 20s.
I wouldn’t blame her one bit if she did. He’s got to go out sometime, and so far it appears that he’s avoided serious injury (although I’m sure he’s got some level of CTE damage just because he’s played so long and undoubtedly had multiple concussions throughout.) She’s done the lion’s share of parenting while he’s coddled his “instrument” and forsaken everything for one more championship for the entire time they’ve had children. It would have been eminently reasonable to expect him to retire 5 years ago. I would be f***ing pissed in her shoes and she doesn’t need him if he’s not pulling his weight as a father and a partner.
so my dad had a football career as a defensive lineman even tho he’s closer to tom Brady’s build. he was a rage-aholic as we were growing up and his CTE only started to come into focus as he got older. no doubt he’s taken way more hits in his career than my dad. after what we went through I think tackle football should be illegal.
so if Gisele is dealing with his decline, I would totally get bouncing.
My favorite rumor is he took the time off to participate in “The Masked Singer”
I especially love the more specific rumor that he won.
That’s my favorite theory too! But I think it’s more likely that something is going on with the marriage or one of the kids. If that’s the case, then it’s completely appropriate to decide not to talk about it public.
He mentioned being 45 & that there’s just ‘sh*t going down’; I imagine it’s more than just a family vacation or his doing some TV show.
Also, I never noticed before, has his upper teeth always been like that? It’s almost as though he’s got poorly-fitting dentures.
His mother has been battling cancer off and on for years and disappearances and unusual silence have often coincided with her health issues. Not saying she’s sick again, I hope she isn’t, but that has been the pattern in the past. He’s 45, which means his parents are elderly and have issues and they deserve their privacy. By all accounts, he’s a very good son and brother.
I didn’t know about his mom. That actually makes the most sense, especially given his sullen demeanor about everything. I hope she’s okay.
She has gone several rounds with breast cancer over the past decade.
I’d wondered if it was his health (he looks a touch strained, or thin, or something) but worrying about an ill parent could explain that. I’m a breast cancer surgeon – those recurrent cases can be draining for the entire family.
I doubt divorce although I don’t know what it could be. If it was a vacation he could have said that. Maybe his mom? I don’t really care but odd everyone is so secretive if it was just a vacation or time off planned when he retired.
If it was his mom he could have just said that also.
Why? He never said anything her first go round with chemo. Maybe his parents don’t want folks to know yet or at all.
It public knowledge that is mother has Cancer and has done multiple rounds of chemo, so not not like it’s a secret. People are questioning it just like if it was a vacation why hide it.
If it’s true, then it’s his mother’s story to tell, not his.
@ Eurydice
Did she tell the world about her Cancer in the first place and give updated?
There was an unconfirmed rumor that he’d gotten fillers and it needed fixing/settling of some sort. Personally I would be more worried about CTE affecting his life and post NFL career more than having a youthful face but I’m not Tom Brady. Geez I hope his mom’s not sick again.
A podcast I listen to floated the idea of hair plugs, based one the cosmetic train of thought.
I think it is the marriage for sure. Like, they obviously love each other and work at their marriage but she wanted him to retire several years ago and I suspect promises were made and then broken and that has consequences. He is so full on training, game tape watching, working with extra coaches during the season plus travelling, it must be like having a partner who is with you and present like 15% of the time. Probably hard to deal with that.
My other theory is that his mother’s cancer is back and it is serious. The only other time we saw him really take time off or be less on it with training was when his mom was really sick in like 2015. They only really talked about it near the Super Bowl that year when his mom was well enough to come to a game for the first time all season. He is famously incredibly close to his parents and sisters so a heath thing in the family that might also be a possibility of some of the shit that is going on.
IIRC he missed part of training camp a couple times when he was with the Patriot’s, but he admitted it was because he and Gisele were having marriage problems because he spent so much time away from the family. With him retiring and un-retiring, I can see it being a problem again, but unless Gisele is really done this time, I don’t know why he wouldn’t just say he was spending time with his family.
His mother’s cancer being back would make sense and explain his secrecy.
He looks guant. He already can’t afford to lose anymore weight as it is.
That struck me too. He doesn’t look as fit as he usually does.
I thought he looked underweight also. I’m not sure I would have recognized him in a couple of those pictures.
Stating the obvious, this is a career professional who is paid millions upon millions to show up and do a job. His wife hopefully was aware of this when she made the commitment to marry him. NFL training camp is two weeks. You simply do not schedule plastic surgery or other cosmetic treatments around this period unless you have no regard for your team. I’ve gone through the extended illnesses of both my parents (and my husband’s parents) plus numerous other personal and medical issues while holding down two jobs. I find it completely disrespectful to people who manage a life with a career, spouse, parents and children when Brady says, “There’s a lot of sh*t going on.” Clown.
I have been wondering about this for some time now. Is it their marriage? Hi other family members? I don’t like either Giselle or Tom but if there is a problem in their marriage that sucks and is bummer for their kiddos.
https://twitter.com/jemelehill/status/1563950007501221888?s=21&t=jRTSciuGSfFXHXfiAKRgtA
Had work done.
I mean, yeah, probably, but why not do it any time in the last seven months when he was out of the spotlight?
I think it’s a legit family health/relationship issue (and clearly some fillers and ‘tox.)
That forehead is frozen and he’s struggling to move his injected lips.
Dudes squirrelly because he’s a squirrel.
I tend to believe that it is either his mother’s health or his cosmetic “needs.”
Of course I wouldn’t blame Giselle if she wanted out or at least if she were miffed. Having a husband and son who are huge sports fans (my son watches all of them I swear) can be trying enough, I can’t imagine having to live with an actual NFL quarterback who has been either working or obsessing about his work for this many years.
I’m sure she is very supportive but she must get sick of football.
He’s giving me Caitlin Jenner before the transition (not sure if it is polite to use the old name when referring to the past). The hair standing up and “refreshed” face…my theory is some plastic surgery work.
He looks terrible. I generally couldn’t care less about him or Gisele, but there is a fantastic cover story about Lewis Hamilton in the Sept issue of Vanity Fair and Brady is quoted a lot in it..about what it takes to get to that level in sport, mindset etc, and he sounds like someone that is tired (I would be too) and it makes it more surprising he is back in the game.
I agree with other posters, it is probably his mom or other family member.
It’s odd that he looks like this is an interview. He takes care of his appearance a lot even after games he would put effort into his looks for interviews.Something big must be going for him to let go off his appearance especially in public.
Has he always been this skinny?
@maddy agree! His face looks unusually gaunt.
Hey Tom? You could take every day off if you retired.
Just FYI.
It was a weird thing to say, hey man I’m 45 there’s a lot of shit going on.
Like no shit! More than a few of us here know what 45’s like which makes me more incredulous that with all the shit that comes with it that he decided going back to football as a geriatric player was the best thing to do.
that guy looks gaunt. eat a goddamned cookie tom.
He looks like he’s had his eyes done and some lipo on his face and neck, maybe some botox too. I truly hope his mother isn’t sick again — she had a very serious type of breast cancer. I also hope it’s not marriage problems for the sake of their kids.
I’m not absolutely sure of the timing but there were pictures all over the Internet of Tom Gisele, their kids (including his first born Jack with Bridget Moynahan) and various friends/relatives cruising the Caribbean on a private yacht and having a grand old time.
So I don’t think there’s trouble in Paradise between Tom and Gisele. Honestly, I tend to think he was just vacationing and knew that Tampa Bay execs would cut him slack since’s he’s Tom Brady, GOAT…
Having a grand old time with your family is not” a lot of shit going on”
Colonoscopy, cancerous skin lesions, prostate CA, there’s other stuff a 45 y o man can be dealing with… his gauntness suggests to me it’s his health and I understand why he would be squirrelly about questions… because his career and his team’s success this year are riding on it. Get well Tommy. ❤️