NFL legend Tom Brady surprised the football world when it was revealed this week that he was taking a leave of absence from the Buccaneers for at least 10 days.
The exact reason for the hiatus remains unclear, with the Bucs saying it was for non-emergency personal reasons. The team also said it had been discussed at the start of camp.
But in the judgment of at least one NFL insider, Brady's seemingly abrupt departure wasn't completely shocking -- at least based on his recent behavior.
According to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe, Brady seemed to be checked out during his final practice at Bucs camp on Wednesday, the day before his absence was announced.
“I do wonder where his head is at right now,” Volin told Colin Cowherd on The Herd. “The older Brady gets, the less we criticize and wonder if he can actually play. I mean, he was so good at 44, there's no doubt in our minds that if Brady is fully committed that he can have a terrific season at 45, but there are definitely signs that his head isn't fully into it. And, I try not to be the body language police, but I was at Bucs practice yesterday, and he looked miserable.”
Volin went on to explain that the Bucs may not be the ideal situation for Brady for a number of reasons, from injuries to teammates, roster turnover, and even the Florida weather.
“I don’t think he loves the humidity in Tampa; it is very swampy out here every morning. His buddy Gronk has retired, that’s his running mate, that’s his guy, and now he looks all over the field and he’s throwing to Kyle Rudolph. Chris Godwin is banged up, and we’re not sure when he’s going to be himself again. Brady's center [Ryan Jensen] goes down."
On top of these issues, it's no secret that Brady tried to leave the Buccaneers for a potential dual ownership/quarterback role with the Miami Dolphins in the offseason.
"There are just a lot of things going on with the team, and we also know playing with the Bucs was not his No. 1 wish this year," Volin said. "If he had gotten his way, he'd be running the Dolphins.”
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