Tom Brady had COVID-19, thinks 2021 will be ‘challenging’

Report: Tom Brady had COVID-19 in February, thinks virus will make 2021 season ‘challenging’

Updated: 5:43 PM EDT Sep 4, 2021

Legendary quarterback Tom Brady confirmed to a Tampa Bay Times reporter that he had COVID-19 months ago and voiced his concerns about the coronavirus’ impact on the upcoming NFL season.According to a report from Rick Stroud, Brady said he contracted the virus shortly after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl 55 championship boat parade in February.Brady, who is now fully vaccinated, told Stroud that he thinks COVID-19 will make the 2021 season “challenging.”“I actually think it’s going to play more of a factor this year than last year, just because of the way what we’re doing now and what the stadium is going to look like and what the travel is going to look like and the people in the building and the fans,” Brady said. “It’s not like last year, although we’re getting tested like last year. It’s going to be, I definitely think guys are going to be out at different points and we’ve just got to deal with it.”Four Buccaneers players have already gone on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list: kicker Ryan Succop, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and offensive lineman Nick Leverett and Earl Watford, according to Stroud.Brady is entering his 22nd NFL season and second with Tampa Bay after leading the Bucs to a championship in his first season with the team. He won his seventh Super Bowl title and earned the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award for a fifth time, both of which are NFL records.The 44-year-old played the first 20 seasons of his NFL career with the New England Patriots, helping the franchise tie the league record for most team Super Bowl titles with six. He announced that he was leaving the Patriots on March 17, 2020, and officially signed with the Buccaneers three days later.