Brady steps away from Bucs until after Aug. 20

Tom Brady won't be with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until after their Aug. 20 preseason game against the Tennessee Titans, head coach Todd Bowles announced Thursday, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic.

The quarterback is stepping away to deal with personal matters, added Bowles, who said this was discussed before training camp began. The 58-year-old coach didn't reveal the specific reasons for Brady's absence.

Bowles said he has a "pretty high" level of confidence Brady will play in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, per Auman.

"He'll come back even more focused. That's the least of our concerns," Bucs general manager Jason Licht said Thursday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Brady, 45, is entering his third season with Tampa Bay. He announced his retirement from football in February but changed his mind and returned to the club 40 days later. The seven-time Super Bowl champion led the NFL in completions, passing yards, and touchdowns last year.

The Bucs kick off their preseason schedule against the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 13.

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