Tom Brady Partied in Monaco, Threw Football from Yacht, While Skipping Patriots Practice

With the New England Patriots well into the start of their voluntary preseason training, Tom Brady was far from Foxborough and his teammates, but still took time to throw around a football — while on a private yacht.

Brady visited the Mediterranean coast over the weekend to catch the Formula One Grand Prix in Monaco, as many Pats players, including Julian Edelman, took to the field to get some practice in for the start of the season, coming just months after the team’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

The 40-year-old quarterback, who’s getting ready to start his 19th season in the league, partied with supermodel Bella Hadid while wearing all-white outfits in Monte Carlo in the lead-up to the big race.

During a promotional event sponsored by luxury watch company TAG Heuer, the five-time NFL champion was given a football while aboard one of the two ships owned by SeaDream Yacht Club, a luxury private cruise line, and was challenged to throw it to Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, who was standing on a boat about 20 to 30 yards out in the harbor.

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While the toss was just par for the course for Brady — who has his own signature watch with TAG Heuer that runs between $3,000 to $5,500 — it took Ricciardo a few tries before he was able to hold on to the ball to complete the catch.

Yet, Brady may have passed on some of his good luck onto Ricciardo, as the Australian driver won the Monaco grand prix for the first time in his career on Sunday.

Brady’s absence for the Patriots’ voluntary preseason workouts has been controversial, to say the least. It has sparked rumors that he is unhappy with his current contract, or that he’s had enough of coach Bill Belichick.

Yet the star quarterback — considered by many as the best to ever play the game — has stated before that followed the Super Bowl loss in February, he intended to use this offseason to spend more time with family (although there is no evidence that his wife, Gisele Bündchen, or their two children, Vivian and Benjamin, were with him during the trip to Europe).

“Part of this offseason for me is certainly about still preparing for what’s ahead in my next journey, my next mountain to climb with this group of teammates,” Brady said in early May. “But it’s also [acknowledging] that a lot of people are getting the short end of the stick in my life — certainly my wife and my kids.”

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Despite skipping the voluntary off-season training, Brady is expected to be present next week when the Pats start their mandatory minicamp, and will also play this upcoming season.

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But Brady appeared to be enjoying his time away from the field, sending a quick congratulations message to Ricciardo and third place driver Lewis Hamilton, and gushing about his “fun weekend.”

“Thank you @tagheuer for a fun weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix! It was great seeing so many friends and I look forward to coming back again!” Brady wrote. “Congratulations @danielricciardo and @lewishamilton.”