Tom Brady saw his first action this preseason, playing 11 snaps and leading the Bucs to a field goal. His appearance required him to speak to the media afterwards. It was the first time the quarterback spoke publicly since the NFL fined the Dolphins and owner Stephen Ross for harassing Brady and coach Sean Payton. It was also the first time Brady met with the media after taking an 11-day hiatus for personal reasons. Brady’s absence reportedly had nothing to do with the health of Brady or his family, but there was no announcement or mention of why he was absent from the team. Brady shed some light on the situation Saturday. “It’s all personal,” Brady said, via team video. “You know everybody has different situations that they deal with. So we all have really unique challenges in our lives. I’m 45 years old man. There’s a lot of shit going on. You just have to try to find life as best you can. It’s an ongoing process.” Bucs coach Todd Bowles and General Manager Jason Licht said at the time that Brady’s layoff was planned, but whether it was or not, the team had no choice but to continue. Brady said Saturday he was grateful to the Bucs for welcoming him. “Since coming to this organization, it’s been an amazing experience for me to come to this place and have them support me for a long time,” Brady said, via Greg Auman of TheAthletic.com. There was speculation outside the facility as to whether Brady might retire. He announced his retirement this season before returning after 40 days. He’s back again, but it begs the question of whether his heart is still in it? Brady was asked Saturday if he has dealt with what he had to deal with on his personal leave. “I’m ready to go,” Brady said.
