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          NFL Nation

          What Tom Brady can and can't do during four-game suspension

          • Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterAug 31, 2016, 09:00 AM
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              Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
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          FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady addressed reporters Tuesday for what is likely the last time until after he serves a four-game suspension to open the season, which will be in October. He was tight-lipped when it comes to how he plans to remain sharp during his time away.

          Here is a list of things Brady can and can't do during the suspension:

          Brady cannot:

          • Attend or watch practice.

          • Appear at the team’s facility for any reason.

          • Have contact with any team personnel. No exchange of playbooks/game plans or sending video on tablets or other electronic devices. If the league becomes aware of a violation, it will investigate.

          • Engage in any team football-related activities or discussions with teammates, even if away from the team facility. This would include working out or running drills, including running simulated plays and playing catch.

          • Go to the stadium as a spectator.

          • Travel to road games.

          • Attend news conferences.

          Brady can:

          • Work out or receive treatment at a different facility with his own trainers.

          • Work out with unsigned free agents, and that would include players who have been cut by the Patriots.

          Brady has been the Patriots' emotional leader over the years, and he was asked Tuesday if he envisions a big void in that area during the suspension.

          "We’ve got a lot of really good players, a lot of really good leaders," he said. "I think we’ve always done a good job cultivating guys to step in and fill the void. I think we’ll do a great job with that. Between our coaches and our players, we’ve got a lot of great leaders, so I’m very confident in that.

          "We’ll go out and play with a lot of energy and emotion [like] we always do. It will be tough to watch but it will be fun to watch in some ways to see what it looks like when you’re not there. That’s a different perspective. Hopefully I can use that perspective and then come back with better perspective saying, ‘Wow, I really noticed some things that maybe I wouldn’t have seen had I been there.’ So that’s kind of what I’m going to try to do."