NFL News Roundup: Tom Brady hints at trouble following training camp absence, Aaron Rodgers goes all in against league's COVID-19 stance on Joe Rogan podcast, and more | 28th August, 2022
The 2022 NFL season is now less than two weeks away, and fans couldn't be happier about seeing their favorite superstars back in action.
While the offseason saw a series of blockbuster trades early on, off-field controversies have recently hogged most of the limelight.
With the 2022 NFL preseason now underway, teams are looking to apply the final touches to their rosters to ensure a successful season of football. Without further ado, we bring you some of the most gripping storylines from around the league on August 28, 2022.
Tom Brady reveals reason behind his absence from Buccaneers training camp
Tom Brady's absence from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers camp was the storyline that dominated headlines till the quarterback finally returned back for training. While the team maintained that it was due to personal reasons, the quarterback remained tight-lipped about the matter until he was posed with the question following his side's preseason NFL game against Indianapolis.
@Buccaneers)#Bucs QB Tom Brady on his 11-day absence from training camp: “I’m 45 years old, man. There’s a lot of sh*t going on.”
(🎥 @Buccaneers)
https://t.co/8WPupuB3XP
While multiple theories were floated around by fans and media outlets alike about his absence, Brady finally opened up about the matter himself:
"It's all personal, you know, everyone's got their own situations they're dealing with. So, we all have really unique challenges to our life and you know... 45 years old. Man, there's a lot of s*** going on. You know, you just got to figure out life the best you can. It's a continuous process."
The tone and manner with which Brady addressed the matter was definitely a departure from his usual energetic demeanor, hinting that not all is well with TB12 ahead of the 2022 NFL season.
NFL rookie Matt Araiza cut by Buffalo Bills following gang-rape accusation
Buffalo Bills rookie punter Matt Araiza is facing a civil lawsuit for the alleged gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl at a house party attended by him and his San Diego State teammates last year.
Araiza, who entered the NFL as one of the best punters in college football last year, now finds himself without a team due to horrifying accusations. The Bills, in a statement released on Sunday, made it official.
We have released Punter Matt Araiza. https://t.co/dlmKJnEj7v
Bills GM Brandon Beane went on to state that the team is more focused on preserving its culture than winning football games at any cost:
"This afternoon, we decided that releasing Matt Araiza was the best thing to do. Our culture in Buffalo is more important than winning football games."
Also Checkout:- Tom Brady Deflategate Controversy
Aaron Rodgers calls out league for conducting witch hunt over COVID-19 vaccination status
Aaron Rodgers' stance on COVID-19 and vaccinations accentuated this reputation of being a polarizing figure in the NFL.
In a recent interview with Joe Rogan on his podcast, the quarterback said that the NFL was on a witch hunt by asking players about their vaccination status:
"They were doing this, I called it a witch hunt, where they were asking every single player, 'Are you vaccinated?’. You know, they were asking a bunch of big quarterbacks and some guys were saying, ‘It’s personal’ or whatever."
During the podcast, the Packers QB also went on to state why he chose against taking the vaccine as he was was worried a certain component in them could cause a deadly reaction in him:
"I went on the CDC website and it specifically said ‘If you’re allergic to PEG, we do not recommend getting vaccinated with the mRNA vaccines'. The only other one available was Johnson & Johnson... That had just got pulled at the time for blood clots. So, I looked into other options which included an immunization process through a holistic doctor."
Rodgers' vaccination status cost him some gametime in 2021 NFL season, but more importantly, made him one of the most talked about quarterbacks last season.