Tom Brady taking leave of absence from Tampa Bay Buccaneers to 'deal with personal things'

By Ben Morse, CNN

Updated 0937 GMT (1737 HKT) August 12, 2022

Tom Brady throws a pass during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp.

(CNN)Tom Brady is taking some time away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to «deal with personal things,» according to the team's head coach Todd Bowles.

The 45-year-old quarterback missed practice on Thursday, and Bowles told reporters that he will not return until after the team's second preseason game on August 20. «Tom has been excused today,» Bowles said. «He'll be back sometime around after Tennessee. He's going to deal with some personal things.»This is something we talked about before training camp started. We allotted this time because he wanted to get in and get chemistry with the guys and go through two weeks of training camp.«Knowing he wasn't going to play the first two games, he didn't want to take away reps from Blaine (Gabbert) and Kyle (Trask), as well as (Ryan Griffin), as far as going into these next two games.»Read MoreBrady talks with coach Clyde Christensen.Bowles didn't elaborate on the reason for Brady's absence, but said it was a plan that had been in place from before training camp began and remained confident that Brady would be back for the team's season-opening Week 1 clash against the Dallas Cowboys. «Obviously, there's always going to be doubt,» Bowles said, «but I have a pretty high level of confidence, yes.»Bucs linebacker Devin White said Brady had his team's full support and understanding.«He's a grown man — (more grown) than most of us in the locker room, and he's a human at the end of the day,» White said. «He's got personal problems going on, but he's a guy that's been doing this so long, he (doesn't) need to be here. »If he's not here, we know that he's