Despite rumors, it looks like Tom Brady was not working out at Gillette Stadium or TB12 during the Patriots’ OTAs

While the majority of the New England Patriots were holding their first two weeks of organized team activities, the team's quarterback was nowhere to be found: Quarterback Tom Brady elected to skip the voluntary part of offseason workouts to instead focus on family and business commitments. While this is not as big of a deal as some make it out to be, the rumor mill keeps working.

One of those rumors states that Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski, who is also staying away from voluntary workouts, underwent treatment at the nearby TB12 Sports Therapy Center while the rest of the team was practicing behind Gillette Stadium. Another has Brady and wideout Julian Edelman working out together in the Empower Field House. However, a recently published third story disputes the other rumors.

Brady has not been at the Field House or the TB12 center during New England's OTA sessions, according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe, because he did not like the optics of being at or near Gillette Stadium while his teammates were working out nearby. This certainly looks plausible from Brady's perspective as it is in best interest of both himself and the team if he does not add any fuel to the proverbial fire that is his absence.

And even with him not working out at Gillette Stadium or his personal gym at Patriot Place there is little doubt that Brady will enter mandatory minicamp as ready as usual. After all, he is still working despite skipping voluntary sessions – football is year-round for him, Brady said at a public event in late April – and has always adapted his offseason routine to maximize its efficiency.

Beginning tomorrow, this routine will likely continue at the Patriots' facilities: Brady is expected to participate in New England's minicamp and for the first time all offseason will work alongside teammates not named Julian Edelman. And once the greatest quarterback of all time steps onto the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium, the offseason drama surrounding him will officially be a thing of the past. Finally.