Bucs’ Devin White on Tom Brady’s Absence: ‘Football Comes Second’

Tom Brady will be away from the Buccaneers through at least next weekend, after being excused from Thursday’s joint practice with the Dolphins. The team has not revealed why the legendary quarterback is away from the team, other than that it is a “personal matter.”

Pro Bowl linebacker Devin White was asked about Brady’s absence after Thursday’s session, and assured fans and the media that the team is behind him. He has no doubts about Brady’s ability to prepare for the season while away from practice.

“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 he’s been doing it for so long, he don’t need to be here. If he’s not here, we know he’s still working. He’s got a great supporting cast around him, and he’s going to get his work in whether he’s here or not here.

“When he comes back he’ll never miss a beat. That’s the only important thing … more than football, we’re praying for whatever he’s got going on as a human being and we hope everybody else do too. That’s all we ask for, for his well-being. Football comes second, him being a human comes first.”

Brady was already set to miss Saturday’s preseason opener against the Dolphins, and after practice coach Todd Bowles confirmed that he will miss the second preseason contest as well, next Saturday at the Titans. He is expected to return sometime after that game.

When asked whether Brady would be ready for Week 1 at the Cowboys on Sept. 11, Bowles said he has a “pretty high level of confidence” in the future Hall of Famer suiting up, but acknowledged that “there’s always going to be doubt.” 

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