The NFL made an inquiry into Tom Brady visiting Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich's house and have come to the conclusion that the six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback did not violate any offseason work rules, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
"It was a brief personal visit and Tom picked up the playbook," McCarthy said.
This meeting between Brady and Leftwich entered the headlines after the Buccaneers quarterback accidentally trespassed into a man's home that he thought belonged to Leftwich. Had that mishap not occurred, the NFL landscape probably wouldn't have even heard about TB12 swinging by and picking up his playbook. However, this accident did catch the eye of a number of teams throughout the league and were, as CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reports, "miffed" that Brady was able to meet with his offensive coordinator.
According to the collective bargaining agreement, players and coaches are not permitted to talk football or go over the playbook with one another before the start of the club's offseason program. Because the Bucs had not reached that point in their offseason workout schedule, Brady would, in theory, be getting a head start over various other teams if he and Leftwich started to talk shop.
La Canfora reported at the time that teams "conveyed their dismay to league officials" and were "anticipating some stern discipline," but it appears like nothing of the sort is happening as the NFL has deemed this quick visit to be harmless.
While the Buccaneers may not be used to Brady brushing up against the lines of the NFL rulebook, the quarterback is no stranger to it. He famously battled against commissioner Roger Goodell and the league during the Deflategate saga and his Patriots were at the center of the Spygate ordeal in the mid-2000s.
This Playbookgate (working title) isn't going to reach the heights that either of those issues during Brady's days in New England did and is likely over with this announcement from the league. Now, Brady can simply focus on continuing to settle in to Tampa Bay, learn the Bucs offense and try not to break into any random people's homes from here on out.
