Source - QB Tom Brady to return to Tampa Bay Buccaneers 'very shortly'

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is expected to return to the team «very shortly,» a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Brady has been away from the team since Aug. 11 to tend to what has been described as «personal things.»

When coach Todd Bowles announced that Brady would be stepping away, he said Brady would be back after the Bucs' second preseason game at the Tennessee Titans on Saturday night in Nashville, meaning the earliest Brady could return to practicing with the team would be Monday. But Bowles did not provide a clear return date, and Thursday he said that he wasn't sure when Brady would actually return, despite Brady's absence being planned weeks ago, prior to training camp.

Brady has been given off days in the past, but this is the first time he has spent a significant amount of time away from the team during training camp or the preseason in 23 years. He did miss OTAs while he was with the New England Patriots in 2018 to spend more time with his family, but those practices are optional and take place in the spring, long before the regular season begins.

All of Brady's absences with the Bucs in 2022 have been approved by the team, although it is highly unusual for NFL teams to grant that sort of flexibility.

Information from ESPN's Jenna Laine was used in this report.