The Met Gala has been an annual take for Tom Brady and his wife Gisele Bundchen, though for some it served as a reminder that he's choosing to spend additional time with family this offseason rather than attend his team's voluntary offseason workouts.
But what exactly is Brady missing by not being at Gillette Stadium with his Patriots teammates?
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Here's a quick look at where the Patriots are on the calendar and what they're allowed to do, per the rules established in the collective bargaining agreement.
WHAT'S AT HAND?
The Patriots are currently in Phase Two of the offseason program. Phase Two began on May 1 and lasts three weeks. In Phase Two, coaches are allowed on the field with players, and individual drills are allowed. Teams are allowed a max of 90 minutes on the field. Contact is not allowed. Offense-versus-defense and one-on-one drills are not permitted, either. Helmets are also banned during Phase Two. In Brady's case, he would be able to be on the field with head coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and he'd be allowed to throw to teammates but he would not be working against any defensive players. In Phase Two - as is the case during Phase One - teams can specify two hours for players to be at the facility. The maximum time for a player to attend offseason activities is four hours per day, leaving players two hours to choose to workout however they see fit.
New England Patriots
WHAT'S COME AND GONE?
The Patriots offseason program began on April 16. That marked the start of Phase One, which lasted two weeks. As was discussed on Quick Slants the Podcast, when it became clear Brady would not be participating in the early part of the team's offseason program, workouts during Phase One were limited to strength and conditioning activities. When players were on the field during Phase One, only strength and conditioning coaches were permitted on the field. Many presumed that Brady's absence from the first two weeks of the offseason program was not hugely important because of his unique workout regimen. If Phase One is all weights, why would it matter if the weight-averse quarterback isn't present? However, the CBA allows for quarterbacks to throw to receivers with no coverage during Phase One.
WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON?
Should Brady continue to steer clear of Patriots offseason workouts during Phase Three, which lasts four weeks, here's what he'll be missing. The time limit on these workouts gets a bump to six hours per day. OTA practices will be held during three of the four weeks: May 21-22, May 24, May 30-31, June 11-12, June 14-15. (A portion of one week -- which for the Patriots will be June 5-7 -- is reserved for mandatory minicamp.) Helmets will be permitted during Phase Three, as will knee and elbow pads. Seven-on-seven, nine-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills . . . all good. Live contact, meanwhile . . . not allowed. This would be the portion of the offseason program when Brady would be best able to simulate a typical practice setting, with the offense running plays against a competitive defense. The Patriots will likely work on situational football -- red zone, two-minute, hurry-up -- during what is commonly described as "passing camp." Though live contact is banned, this is the closest Brady would get to real football, and the closest he would get to establishing a rapport with some of his new teammates before training camp begins in July.
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