Tom Brady's practice activity raises eyebrows after NFL star's unpopular contract clause - The Mirror

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is strangely away from the team on Wednesday's after signing a contract this past off-season following his 40-day retirement and u-turning his decision

Tom Brady has surprisingly not practiced with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thanksgiving Day ahead of this team's return after the bye week in their preparations to face the Cleveland Browns.

The 45-year-old legendary quarterback has a clause in his contract, which he signed this past off-season after returning to the team following his brief retirement from football, that means he does not practice with the team on Wednesday's, taking a veteran's rest day.

However, this week, the Buccaneers injury report shows that Brady did not practice on Thursday, and was away from the team for a rest day - potentially being given the day off to celebrate Thanksgiving.

A potential sign of just how much power that Brady since his return to the team, it appears he has been allowed the American holiday off - just days before their game with the Browns.

Thursdays are traditionally an essential day of practice, with the players having their pads on for the last time, going through walk-through's and their game plan ahead of the upcoming game - an important one for the Buccaneers.

They'll be facing a team who should be beatable to them, in the 3-7 Cleveland Browns, who continue to start their back-up Jacoby Brissett, with suspended quarterback Deshaun Watson not eligible to return until next week.

The Buccaneers go into the game on a two-game win streak following wins over NFC West foes Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, and could kickstart their season with a win over the Browns.

Brady's absence will be criticised should they fall on Friday, but the quarterback has already defended himself on his decisions to have days away from the team.

Speaking earlier this season on his 'Lets Go' podcast, Brady said: "The fact that I've worked weekends for the last 23 years, I do deserve one day off a week so I think maybe, and I don't know if it's Wednesdays, but I get Tuesdays off," he said. "That's probably good enough for me."

Although the Buccaneers have performed poorly at times this season, Brady's individual showings remain impressive - ranking fourth in yards thrown for and first in least interceptions thrown (amongst starting quarterbacks).

NFL expert Bill Simmons tore into the former Patriots star on his podcast, saying: "He doesn't practice on Wednesday's. He f****** went to Bob Kraft's wedding on Friday night in New York City, they had a game on Sunday! Why is he in New York City on a Friday night, he's supposed to be the leader of the team!

"All the rules are different for him. He missed pre-season for ten days. Football is meant to be this team sport where everyone is on the same side, nobody is bigger than the team, he's acted like he's bigger than the team for ten months. I think it's an embarrassing year for him."