National Football League

Tom Brady expected to return to Buccaneers on Monday

Updated Aug. 21, 2022 5:43 p.m. ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is returning to the team "this week" after missing extended time due to personal reasons, head coach Todd Bowles told the media on Sunday.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Brady will be back with the team on Monday.

According to ESPN, Bowles is also unsure whether Brady will play during Tampa Bay's final preseason game against the Colts later this week.

The Bucs originally announced that Brady had stepped away from the team on Aug. 11, noting that the absence was planned prior to it becoming public and that he was expected to return sometime after their second preseason game, which was Saturday versus the Titans.

With Brady unavailable, Tampa Bay's QB reps have been divided between Blaine Gabbert, Kyle Trask and Ryan Griffin. Gabbert is entering his fourth season with the Buccaneers. Trask was a second-round draft pick of the team in 2021. Griffin has been with Tampa Bay since 2015.

Brady, 45, is entering his 23rd NFL season. Last year, he finished with 5,316 passing yards, 43 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions and 102.1 quarterback rating, completing 67.5% of his passes. Tampa Bay went 13-4 in 2021, good for first in the NFC South, but lost to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Los Angeles Rams in the NFC divisional round.