Tom Brady has found himself having to answer for his 11-day absence from training camp earlier in the preseason on multiple occasions throughout the build-up to the Buccaneers 2022 opener.
During his latest media appearance after the team’s preseason finale in Indianapolis on Aug. 27, the seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback did his best to shut down any further speculation with a blunt remark about why he was away from the team with the season just around the corner.
“I’m 45 years old, man,” he said, per Greg Auman of The Athletic. “There’s a lot of s— going on.”
Brady expanded upon that thought in the season two debut of his “Let’s Go!” podcast with Jim Gray on Monday. The Tampa Bay signal-caller declined to say the exact reason why he stepped away from training camp in August, but did get philosophical about his life now, comparing his current situation to when he started playing in the NFL back in 2000.
“I think your life ebbs and flows, through the clouds and the sun, and through the rain and through the beautiful days, and you appreciate the moments and you find joy in the little things,” Brady told Gray on the podcast.
“I spoke with my dad the other day. He said, ‘All you can do is the best you can do with the circumstances that are presented in front of you.’”
Brady specifically pointed to his own children as an aspect of his life where his focus now lies. He mentioned his oldest son Jack, who is now a high school freshman playing football, in addition to his 12-year-old son Benjamin and 9-year-old daughter Vivian.
“And I have parents, and I have a lot of things that are really important, off-field pursuits and goals that you’re trying to maximize as well,” he added.
“We all have different things that are going on. And I think once football season comes, I really lock in on what I need to do and how I need to focus, and the kind of commitment I need to make for the organization so that we can maximize our potential as a team.”
Brady will look to begin his pursuit of an eight championship this Sunday when the Buccaneers open up the 2022 season on the road against the Cowboys.
