As gossip about Tom Brady’s 11-day absence continues, one peculiar clarification retains cropping up

“Let me be completely clear. Tom Brady is on this season of the Masked Singer,” mentioned Edelman, who was selling his new podcast, “Video games With Names.” The final portion was in daring, as if to underscore his sincerity, and he added a squirrel emoji for good measure.

Then Brady made some puzzling remarks throughout on Saturday a post-game press convention following his squad’s pre-season loss to the Colts, a workforce ceaselessly linked to the Deflategate saga that marred the legendary sign caller’s legacy in New England.

“All of us have actually distinctive challenges to our life,” Brady mentioned in response to a query about his current absence from camp. Hair askew, he seemed uncharacteristically worse for put on as he stood earlier than the cameras.

“I’m 45 years outdated, man,” Brady continued. “There’s quite a lot of [expletive] happening. So, you’ve simply received to strive to determine life the very best you’ll be able to. And, you understand, it’s a steady course of.”

Brady’s agent didn’t instantly reply to an e-mail inquiry in search of remark Monday morning.

Including to the intrigue, TMZ Sports activities final week reported on a leaked clip of “Masked Singer” decide Ken Jeong guessing that Brady was the person behind the masks throughout a taping, saying at one level, “He simply received fined for not exhibiting as much as coaching camp as a result of he’s right here on ‘The Masked Singer.’ That is seven-time Tremendous Bowl winner Tom Brady!”

The clip ends earlier than the crooner, sporting an infinite hen masks, was revealed.

However Brady batted away the gameshow speak on Aug. 22, tweeting that he “[w]asn’t on the masked singer final week.”

If Brady finally ends up showing on “The Masked Singer,” he gained’t be the primary former Patriots star to grace the manufacturing’s sound stage.

Rob Gronkowski appeared on the show in 2020 sporting a white tiger masks as he belted out a stirring rendition of “I’m Too Attractive” by Proper Stated Fred, a Brit pop group whose hymn to carnality dominated the charts within the early Nineties.

The previous Pats tight finish mentioned in 2020 on Instagram after his taping, “What a time I had being on @maskedsingerfox. Thanks a lot for having me on and serving to to enhance my considered one of a sort dance strikes and sing my face off with my stunning vocals! The White Tiger 🐯 walks up and simply takes presence on that stage! Discovered a lot throughout my time on the present, thanks and large shout out to all my new followers of my singing and performances!”

Luminaries from the rough-and-tumble world of politics have additionally competed on the present, together with former NYC mayor and embattled Trump consigliere Rudy Giuliani, who appeared on the program last winter.

Chances are you’ll recall that Brady, in the meantime, has beforehand made headlines for his singing, which can not fairly be on par together with his gridiron prowess. Again in 2018 he posted videos of himself crooning alongside to U2 songs when the band carried out in Boston.

“The rumors are true,” Brady captioned one video. “I’ll be becoming a member of @U2 on the rest of the #u2eitour.”

The QB, identified for his quirky social media presence, was merely being facetious on the time.

He does, nonetheless, have a golden parachute ready for him from Fox, having reportedly inked a $375 million football commentary deal with the community that’ll kick in as soon as he hangs up his cleats.

Salaries for high NFL broadcasters have skyrocketed over the previous few years, however Brady’s reported deal is in a complete completely different stratosphere. Tony Romo, CBS’s high NFL analyst, set the bar when he signed a 10-year, $180 million deal to stay with the community in February 2021. Troy Aikman’s five-year cope with ESPN is for greater than $90 million, a barely increased common annual price than what Romo makes.

Spokespersons for Fox, which broadcasts “The Masked Singer,” didn’t instantly return a request for remark Monday morning. The present returns Sept. 21.

Brittany Bowker will be reached at brittany.bowker@globe.com. Observe her on Twitter @brittbowker and on Instagram @brittbowker. Travis Andersen will be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com. Observe him on Twitter @TAGlobe.