Tom Brady: 'Excited' to be back with team after Deflategate

Tom Brady says he is "excited" to be back with Patriots after his four-game suspension for Deflategate.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says he is "excited" to be back with his team after returning from a four-game suspension for his role in Deflategate.

Brady spoke about getting back with his team during his weekly interview on Westwood One.

"It's been a long four weeks for me, but I'm excited to get started on my preparation for Cleveland," Brady said.

"I'm going to take it day to day. I haven't played in four weeks," he added. "My teammates have been working their butts off, and that's what they expect of me. I'll take the days as they come. I'll certainly need the practices to try to get on the [same] page as all the guys who have been practicing the last four weeks. But I'm really looking forward to it."

During his absence, the Patriots went 3–1 under backups Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett.

Brady was spotted at the Patriots facility in preparation for this Sunday's game against the winless Cleveland Browns. Brady said he is not reflecting on the past or Deflategate after the NFL Players Association announced they would not pursue additional appeals in the case.

"I'm not really looking to reflect at this point. I put that in the rearview mirror when I decided a while ago [to not appeal]," Brady said. "I'm looking forward to playing and doing what I love to do and being out there with my teammates, who have done such a great job. And I want to do a great job for them.

– Scooby Axson