Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has addressed the rumors about quarterback Tom Brady receiving so-called “special treatment.”
Back in the offseason, the Bucs granted Brady an 11-day absence due to “personal reasons.” Back in September, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Brady would be granted an off day on Wednesdays for the remainder of the season. That isn’t all.
On Friday evening, Brady attended the wedding of Robert Kraft, the owner of TB12’s former team in the New England Patriots. The Bucs offense never found its rhythm in a 20-18 road loss to the injury-ravaged Pittsburgh Steelers, and many criticized Brady for taking the off time two days before a game.
But speaking to the media on Monday, Bowles denied the rumors about Brady receiving special treatment, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk:
“He works as hard as anybody. Special treatment — there have been a few guys that have missed some meetings and some practices for some special things. It just doesn’t get publicized because they’re not him. It kind of comes with the territory. We don’t worry about it too much.”
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was invited to Kraft’s wedding but said he couldn’t attend. Though he didn’t specify the reasons, one can only wonder if he was simply putting business first and focusing on the Patriots’ Week 6 game against the Cleveland Browns.
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The Patriots soundly defeated the Browns 38-15 on the road thanks to an All-Star performance from rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe. The victory moved the Patriots to 3-3 on the year, while the Bucs, losers in three of their last four, are now 3-3 after a promising 2-0 start.
The offense is supposed to be Tampa Bay’s strength, but they’re 20th in points per game (20.2), and Brady simply hasn’t been playing up to his usual standards. Though he has eight touchdowns against only one interception, the 45-year-old has just two 300-yard games and only one game with multiple TD passes.
Tampa Bay finds themselves tied with the Atlanta Falcons for first in the NFC South. The good news for the Bucs? Up next on the schedule is a Week 7 road game against the NFL’s worst team in the Carolina Panthers, who are 1-5 on the year.
