Report: More details on Tom Brady's 11-day hiatus, plans after 2022 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Tom Brady will embark on his 23rd NFL season Sunday night in Dallas -- but not after a rather tumultuous offseason.
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback briefly retired at the beginning of February before announcing in mid-March he'd return for his age-45 season. Brady's decision to return reportedly led to tension with his wife, Gisele Bundchen, and speculation heightened when Brady took an unprecedented, 11-day hiatus from the Bucs in the middle of the preseason.
So, what was Brady actually up to during his absence?
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The veteran QB spent "the bulk" of those 11 days "in the Bahamas at a private resort with his family," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Sunday morning. Per Rapoport, Brady was honoring a "mid-retirement promise" to Gisele that he'd vacation with her and their family in August for the first time in their relationship.
Brady didn't have any football conversations with the Bucs during his vacation, Rapoport reports.
Brady has tried balance football and family in recent years, skipping minicamp and OTAs in his final two seasons with the New England Patriots to spend more time with his family and leaving the Bucs for nearly two weeks this summer.
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This might be the final year of that balancing act, however: The 2022 season is expected to be Brady's last in the NFL, Rapoport reported, citing "sources with knowledge of his thinking."
While one source told Rapoport that Brady could always change his mind if he falls short of an eighth Super Bowl title this season, Brady did have a stated goal of playing until age 45, so this would be his NFL final box to check.
Brady also has a cushy broadcasting gig with FOX waiting for him in retirement, and considering he nearly pulled the plug on his playing career earlier this year, it would make sense that this season is his last.
