Tom Brady touts unproven immune supplement after defying NFLPA's COVID-19 advice against holding workouts
As Florida grapples with a COVID-19 spike and the NFLPA advises players to stand down, Tom Brady met with some of his Bucs teammates Tuesday morning for a workout at a Tampa prep school.
He then promoted an immune supplement from his TB12 product line on his Instagram page.
Brady posted pictures of a Tuesday workout that included Rob Gronkowski on an Instagram story. The Tampa Bay Times reports that at least a dozen of his Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates joined him on a football field at Tampa’s Berkeley Preparatory School at 7 a.m. and worked out for two hours.
The Times categorized Tuesday’s workout as “routine.”
Bucs players have contracted COVID-19
The workout occurred days after the Bucs confirmed that multiple players on the team tested positive for COVID-19. On Saturday, the NFLPA issued guidance from its medical doctor urging players not to gather for workouts amid the pandemic.
“Please be advised that it is our consensus medical opinion that in light of the increase in COVID-19 cases in certain states that no players should be engaged in practicing together in private workouts,” a statement from Dr. Thom Mayer reads. “Our goal is to have all players and your families as healthy as possible in the coming months.
“We are working on the best mitigation procedures at team facilities for both training camps and the upcoming season, and believe that it is in the best interest of all players that we advise against any voluntary joint practices before training camp commences.”
Coronavirus concerns in Florida
The advice from the NFLPA arrived as Florida has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases since relaxing social distancing guidelines, prompting concern from experts that the state will become a new epicenter of the coronavirus.
That same day, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians issued a public service video on the Hillsborough County Twitter account urging residents to practice social distancing guidelines.
Our @Buccaneers' head coach, @BruceArians, is here to encourage you to take these easy steps to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
Stay #TampaBaySTRONG and brush up on safety tips at https://t.co/HvuO0TLlrX! pic.twitter.com/0YADhFQhLP— Hillsborough County (@HillsboroughFL) June 20, 2020
“During these difficult times, it’s important that we all show we care about our community’s health,” Arians said. “You could spread COVID-19 without knowing it.”
Brady shills TB12 supplement
At the end of his Instagram story about Tuesday’s workout, Brady promoted an immune supplement from his product line with a caption reading: “Every Day!!! Your health is your wealth.”
Brady has previously promoted the product since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This product was designed to provide exactly what you need to stay healthy, strong and resilient for whatever comes your way,” Brady wrote on Instagram on May 18 as the pandemic continued to take hold in the United States.
Brady has come under fire for his relationship with trainer Alex Guerrero, who’s been criticized for promoting junk science.
Mass Live reports that the product costs $45 per month and has not been approved by the FDA or medically supported as effective.
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