Tom Brady may have gone off the grid for the past several days, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t privy to the rumor mill speculating on his whereabouts.
On Monday, the same day the Buccaneers quarterback returned to training camp following an 11-day absence, Brady cheekily addressed the wild internet theory floating around that he took time off to compete on Fox’s “The Masked Singer.”
“Wasn’t on the masked singer last week. Was wearing a mask though,” Brady tweeted alongside a masked gentleman riding a motorbike while rocking underwear from the Super Bowl champ’s namesake brand.
A wild internet theory suggested Tom Brady could be competing on “The Masked Singer” amid his absence from training camp. Michael Becker/FoxBrady, who is gearing up for his 23rd NFL season, stepped away from the Buccaneers earlier this month for personal reasons. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay’s first-year head coach, told reporters that the quarterback’s absence was something discussed ahead of training camp.
Given the mystery surrounding his departure, the internet played its own game of “Where in the world is Tom Brady?” Last week, fantasy football analyst Kendall Valenzuela laid out the pieces as to why the 45-year-old quarterback could have taken his talents to “The Masked Singer” stage, noting how his past teammates have competed on the show, and that the reality series airs on Fox — which will be Brady’s new NFL home when he does retire for good.
In the hours leading up to Brady’s training camp return, however, Pro Football Network reported Sunday that the seven-time Super Bowl champ had simply indulged in some R&R in the Bahamas with his family. That idea tracks with the previous reporting from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who recently said on “The Pat McAfee Show” that Brady’s absence was in relation to his desire for a work-life balance.
Tom Brady returned to Buccaneers training camp on Monday, August 22, 2022. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Tom Brady throws a pass during Buccaneers training camp on Monday, August 22, 2022. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images“No one is worried, he’s fine,” Rapoport said earlier this month. “To my knowledge, it is not a medical emergency related to him or I believe anyone close to him. I was told everything is OK. The best description I got about this is that it’s important to find a work-life balance.”
Brady has spoken openly about wanting to spend more time with his family, which includes hiswife, Gisele Bündchen, and their two children, son Benjamin, 12, and daughter Vivian, 9. The quarterback is also a dad to son 15-year-old son Jack, whom he shares with ex Bridget Moynahan.
