Your turn, Robert Kraft.
After Bill Belichick essentially ignored all questions about Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski being absent from Tuesday’s organized team activities, it was Kraft’s turn Wednesday morning to address the status of his star quarterback and tight end.
And it sounds like the New England Patriots owner is perfectly fine with Brady being a no-show.
“I’ve been in communication with Tom. I think he’s very excited about the upcoming season,” Kraft said at Day 1 of the NFL Spring League Meeting in Atlanta, via The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin. “These are voluntary workouts. I heard he’s in great shape.”
Kraft added Brady is “excited” about minicamp, essentially confirming the QB will be there for the mandatory sessions, which begin June 5. He also insinuated that Brady’s reason for not attending OTAs simply involves personal and business matters.
“I was thinking back to when he joined us, where he’s blessed to have three children now and he’s built a number of businesses and has certain responsibilities,” Kraft said. “I think it’s very hard for him to fulfill those during the season and the commitment that he has to football.”
As for Gronkowski, Kraft also expects the All-Pro tight end to join the team during minicamp.
“I’m pretty sure he’ll be there, as well,” Kraft said. “We all love Gronk.”
As Kraft noted, OTAs are voluntary, and Brady and Gronkowski were two of 10 Patriots players absent from Tuesday’s session. It’s unclear what caused their absence Tuesday, but the quarterback-tight end duo reportedly got treatment at the nearby TB12 Sports Therapy Center instead of attending Monday’s OTA session.
