Florida Man Tom Brady Ejected from a Tampa Park for Working Out During the Pandemic
See, this is what happens when you move there.
Photo via AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
I suppose it is only natural to crave wide-open spaces when you kiss your rambling, five-acre, Chestnut-Hill-Country-Club-abutting manse goodbye—but Tom Brady’s new town isn’t cutting the celebrity QB any slack for rebelling against social distancing rules.
Yes, per an AP report, the Bucs’ big-name recruit was sighted working out alone in a Tampa park that is closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic. Tampa mayor Jane Castor shared the unusual anecdote during a press briefing Monday. “Our parks are closed down so a lot of our park staff patrol around…and saw an individual working out in one of our downtown parks,” Castor recounted. “She went over to tell him it was closed. And it was Tom Brady.”
WATCH LIVE: @CityofTampa Mayor @JaneCastor and @StPeteFL Mayor Rick @Kriseman hold joint virtual news conference on coronavirus response https://t.co/177AWyh3DX pic.twitter.com/KzforO23Dk
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) April 20, 2020
While Brady was not penalized for the clear infraction of quarantine protocol, the GOAT was herded back to the confines of that seven-bedroom, waterfront oasis he’s renting from Derek Jeter. He also received a very gentle public shaming courtesy of the City of Tampa’s official Twitter account.
Sorry @TomBrady! Our @tampaparksrec team can’t wait to welcome you and our entire community back with even bigger smiles — until then, stay safe and stay home as much as you can to help flatten the curve. https://t.co/qRhReqqdK0
— City of Tampa (@CityofTampa) April 21, 2020
It’s been a little over a month since Brady officially announced his departure from the Patriots (who have the third best winning percentage in the league) in favor of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (who have the worst winning percentage in the league). At the beginning of April, the Tampa Bay Times confirmed that the Brady/Bündchen brood had officially made their big move from Boston (a thriving center of academics and culture) to Tampa (home of the Outback Steakhouse headquarters). Florida has been under a “Safer at Home Order” since April 1, which states residents must “limit their movements and personal interactions outside of their home to only those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities.”
To New Englanders, Brady tossing the pigskin would certainly fall in the “essential activity” category—but in Tampa, even the most celebrated of quarterbacks still has to play by the rules.
