Tom Brady recently returned from an 11-day absence from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for personal reasons.
How would NFL players respond to a star player leaving the team during training camp? In an interview with TMZ Sports, former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick called it a “fragile situation,” but said he ultimately wouldn’t have had an issue with Brady stepping away.
“I think it’s fine,” Scandrick said. “I think you’ve got to weigh the reward and the risk. I think Tom Brady’s a very, very proven person in this league, and if anybody is going to get the benefit of the doubt, it’s going to be him and I would have given it to him.”
While he didn’t go into any details, Brady told reporters he has “a lot of s— going on” when returning on Aug. 22.
Now that he’s back, few people (if anyone) within the Buccaneers organization likely care that the seven-time Super Bowl champion missed a few August practices.
The 45-year-old returned in time to prepare for Tampa Bay’s Week 1 opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 11. The two reigning NFC division champions will kick off their seasons on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.