National Football League

Tom Brady returns to Buccaneers after extended time away

Updated Aug. 22, 2022 3:55 p.m. ET

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Tom Brady is back. The all-world quarterback has rejoined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday after missing extended time due to undisclosed personal reasons.

His return ends an 11-day sabbatical from Bucs training camp that the club said was planned prior to it becoming public on Aug. 11.

Coach Todd Bowles stated last week that there wasn't a definitive timetable for Brady to come back, only to later say the seven-time Super Bowl champion was expected back early this week. A decision on whether he'll play in Tampa Bay's third and final preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday is still up in the air.

"We'll see how practice goes, and we'll make those decisions at the end of the week," Bowles said Sunday.

Veterans Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin and 2021 second-round draft pick Kyle Trask have been splitting reps with Brady unavailable. Bowles noted that the three-time league MVP and 15-time Pro Bowler kept in touch with the coaching staff during his leave.

Brady also missed a few practices in early August just before his extended absence. While he was away, guard Aaron Stinnie was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Stinnie was in competition to start on a revamped Tampa Bay offensive line that already lost Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen to a significant knee injury. All-Pro offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs suffered an oblique injury last week, but Bowles said Sunday that Wirfs is "day to day."

The early part of the Bucs' schedule won't do them any favors. They open at Dallas and New Orleans before hosting the Packers and Chiefs.

The 45-year-old Brady, who is entering his 23rd NFL season, finished 2021 with a career-high 5,316 passing yards, 43 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 102.1 quarterback rating, while completing 67.5% of his throws. The Bucs finished first in the NFC South at 13-4. They were eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl-champion Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round. 

Shortly after, Brady shocked the football world by announcing his retirement and then unretiring 40 days later.

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