Volin: Tom Brady Doesn't Seem Like Himself, Is More 'Withdrawn And Quiet' At Patriots Practices
BOSTON (CBS) -- On Friday afternoon, The Boston Globe's Ben Volin checked in with Tony Massaortti and Trenni Kusnierek (filling in for Michael Felger) to discuss the latest from training camp. And while many reporters have been keyed in on the passing stats and big plays of camp, Volin's noticed something in suspended quarterback Tom Brady that can't quite be quantified like completions and interceptions.
"One of the things that has really stuck out with Brady, today we all heard about how frustrated he got it. He slammed his helmet after throwing an interception and having a pass batted down. He just hasn't seemed like himself out there," Volin said. "Just hasn't been real fun and energetic and being the real leader. He just seems a little withdrawn and quiet and to himself, and I don't think he really knows how to handle this. This is definitely new territory for him.
"Playing the armchair psychologist here," Volin added, "Brady just doesn't quite look himself right now."
Bill Belichick made it clear this week that the team's priority is to prepare Jimmy Garoppolo, he of zero NFL starts, to lead the team at QB for the first four weeks of the season. That means that Brady has had to take a partial back seat to Garoppolo in practice, and it appears to be making the future Hall of Famer somewhat uncomfortable.
"I think he's not handling it as best as he [could]. I don't think he's moved on," Volin said. "I think he's upset that, really, the practices so far have been The Jimmy Garoppolo Show. Not to say that he's been getting more reps, but he's certainly getting a lot more attention from the coaching staff. Josh McDaniels has really been all in so far on Jimmy Garoppolo. And Brady, look, Brady went first in 11-on-11's today, so it's not like Brady's not getting the majority of the work, and obviously everybody knows he's the starter. But this training camp is really about Jimmy Garoppolo. Brady needs to get his work in obviously, but he's not working toward September 11. He's working toward October and he's going to have to go on ice for four weeks.
"And Brady, we all know how competitive he is and how he doesn't like giving up snaps ever in regular-season blowouts, and I just [think] he's in a little bit of a funk right now," Volin added. "He hasn't acknowledged anyone in the crowd and he obviously hasn't spoken to anyone, and he sneaks on and off the field through the back entrance and exit. So I just think Brady's a little bit out of it right now."
Trenni pushed Volin for more -- is Brady handling this situation poorly?
"I just think he's pretty upset and uncomfortable right now, just having the specter of this suspension hanging over him. It might be a case of, 'Better to say nothing than to open your mouth and say something you might regret,'" Volin said. "So I think he's just trying to deal with this and process it in his own way, and it certainly can't be easy for him to see Garoppolo be the apple of the coach's eye and get all the attention, and all the fans are cheering for Jimmy just as much as they're cheering for Brady. I think a lot of the fans -- it's not just talking to the media -- I think the fans want to hear from Brady. He's released statements on Facebook, but he's never really spoken about the support he's received throughout the last six months since the season ended, and acknowledging the fans, and all that sort of thing. So I think, you know, it probably would be good for Tom to say something, but I wouldn't be surprised if we don't hear from him until October. I think he just wants to kind of do his own thing and process what's going on in his own way.
"Again, this is just my perspective from where I'm sitting during training camp. I can't say for sure because we haven't really heard from Tom, but I just, you know, it looks like from our vantage point that he's in a little bit of a funk right now."
Listen to the full interview below:
