Trent Brown’s Reason For Minicamp Absence Not What You’d Think

For a moment Monday morning, it seemed like Trent Brown was holding out of mandatory Patriots minicamp. But that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Brown, whose absences from voluntary OTAs fueled speculation of a contract dispute, planned to be at Gillette Stadium on Monday, according to multiple early morning reports. However, Brown wasn’t on the field when New England took the field for its minicamp opener, and a report from The Athletic’s Jeff Howe indicated Brown wasn’t in the facility at all, which could indicate a contract issue.

As it turns out, Brown indeed wasn’t in Foxboro, Mass., on Monday — but the reason might surprise you.

“Brown’s flight was canceled due to a hail storm,” Mark Daniels of MassLive reported Monday afternoon. “Brown lives in Texas, which saw a storm that dropped hail the size of golf balls on Sunday.”

Now, the same can’t be said for Lawrence Guy. The veteran defensive tackle also didn’t report to mandatory minicamp, but he reportedly is holding out due to a contract dispute. Guy, 33, will be fined for each absence.

So, what will Tuesday bring?

That remains to be seen, but all signs point toward Brown at least being at Gillette Stadium. Guy, on the other hand, might hold out until his contract situation gets resolved one way or another.

The Patriots are scheduled to practice Tuesday and Wednesday before going on their annual summer break.