A charitable endeavor might prevent Tom Brady from attending Day 1 of the New England Patriots’ offseason program.
The Patriots are set to reconvene at Gillette Stadium on Monday to begin preparations for the 2018 NFL season. Brady, who is entering his 19th year with New England and his 18th as the team’s starting quarterback, is traveling to Qatar on Thursday with Best Buddies International and isn’t scheduled to return home until Monday night, according to a report from The MMQB’s Albert Breer.
“I’m sure no one will freak out if he’s not at the start of the Patriots’ offseason program that morning because of it,” Breer wrote Thursday. “Right?”
Brady and his family arrived in the tiny Middle Eastern nation Thursday morning, according to Qatar Airways’ Instagram account.
We should note the offseason program is voluntary for players — the first mandatory portion, minicamp, doesn’t start until June 5 — and that the first two weeks are “limited to strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation only” with no on-field work allowed, according to NFL Communications. It’s a pretty safe bet that Brady, the poster child for pliability, will arrive in shape.
Brady, who turns 41 in August and is coming off an MVP season, already has been throwing with wide receiver Julian Edelman at the Patriots’ practice facility, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. That’s a good sign for Edelman, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL.
New England begins organized team activities May 21.
