Tom Brady Returns to Bucs, Expected to Practice Monday After Leave of Absence

Tom Brady's hiatus is over.

Jenna Laine of ESPN reported the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is in the team facility and is expected to practice Monday.

Brady has been away from the team since Aug. 11 to deal with an undisclosed personal matter.

The Bucs have offered no explanation for Brady's absence, leading to widespread speculation on social media. One conspiracy theory wondered whether Brady was away from training camp to film The Masked Singer, given his signing of a massive deal with Fox for his post-playing career this offseason.

Brady's return Monday falls directly in line with coach Todd Bowles' announcement that the quarterback would be excused through the team's second preseason game. Bowles also expressed confidence Brady would be back "early" this week when questioned by reporters after the Bucs' preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.

All of this essentially confirms the fact the Buccaneers knew where Brady was going when he was coming back and what exactly he'd be doing during his nearly two-week hiatus. Brady had never taken a similar break before at any point during his NFL career, so it stands to reason he'd have a better excuse than filming a reality show.

That said, the extended silence is only going to raise further questions once Brady speaks with reporters after practice.