Cowboys vs. Bucs Week 1: Will QB Tom Brady be OUT for 'Personal Reasons'?

Brady will be away from the team for a period of time to "deal with some personal things," Bucs coach Todd Bowles announced on Thursday.

DENVER - The Dallas Cowboys are in Denver, using the preseason to prepare for the real thing, NFL regular-season Week 1 at home against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Or will it be the Bucs sans Brady?

Brady will be away from the team for a period of time to "deal with some personal things," Bucs coach Todd Bowles announced on Thursday.

Bowles said Brady's potential absence is an issue that was discussed in advance,  and that the plan has the legendary QB returning after next week's preseason game against the Titans on Aug. 20.

Said Bowles: "This is something we talked about before training camp started. We allotted this time because he wanted to get in and get chemistry with the guys and go through two weeks of training camp, knowing he wasn't going to play the first two games.''

That is a perfectly reasonable explanation, which, as a sidebar unveils just how unimportant, in general, these preseason games truly are.

But is there something "important'' going on in Brady's life that would motivate the desire for time off?

When asked if the issue was health-related, Bowles said, "It's a personal issue. That's all I can tell you."

Having said all of that, Bowles added that he has a "pretty high level of confidence" that Brady will be the starting quarterback in Week 1 at Dallas.

Nevertheless, while days off are normal - especially when the player in question is 45 years old - this Bucs situation is unusual. That is true, too, given the fact that Brady actually retired this offseason before changing his mind.

Are the Bucs worried that Brady's personal issue will have an impact on his commitment to the team?

"Per our conversation, I am not worried, no,'' said Bowles.

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