Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady went to New York on Friday night to celebrate Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s wedding and he did not join the team in Pittsburgh for their walkthrough practice on Saturday, but head coach Todd Bowles said the absence wasn’t part of the reason why the Buccaneers lost 20-18 to the Steelers.
Bowles said that Brady’s absence was “absolutely not” a factor on the team’s sluggish play in the red zone and said that his trip to New York did not impact his preparation for the game.
“No, he didn’t miss anything. He had a full week of practice,” Bowles said, via Nick O’Malley of MassLive.com.
Brady’s absences from the Bucs have been a storyline since his extended break during training camp this summer and any further stumbles on the field will likely raise more questions about whether they’re having more of an impact than Bowles thinks this one did.