In an age where fans know nearly every aspect of a superstar athlete's life, Tom Brady managed to do achieve something nearly unattainable – privacy. One of the most famous athletes – and even people – on the planet was able to stay secluded for a long period of time despite his absence being truly conspicuous among NFL circles.

No wonder the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is considered a master at the QB sneak. Tom Brady was absent from Bucs practice for nearly two weeks, even sparking speculation that he was actually shooting as one of the veiled celebrities on The Masked Singer.

The reasons behind Brady's prolonged absence remain a mystery at this point. But the Bucs QB addressed it nonetheless after making his preseason debut:

“It's all personal. You know, everyone's got different situations they're dealing with. We all have really unique challenges to our life. I'm 45 years old, man. There's a lot of s–t going on. You've just got to try and figure out life the best you can. It's a continuous process,” said Brady after the Bucs' preseason loss to Indianapolis.

Perhaps, Tom Brady will enlighten us on what was behind his absence years from now. It's equally possible that it fades into the NFL ether, never to be explained. But as the GOAT QB emphasized, there indeed is “a lot of s–t going on” with everyone's lives. Even someone like Tom Brady has some personal trials and tribulations he'd rather go through without the watchful eyes of the NFL public.