Michael Irvin: Buccaneers should 'huddle around' Tom Brady amid criticism, rumors

It was previously reported that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and wife Gisele Bündchen have hired divorce attorneys, and Brady has more recently received widespread criticism for missing a team walk-through to attend the wedding of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft ahead of Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Hall-of-Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin told Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post that now is the time for the Buccaneers to rally around the seven-time Super Bowl champion signal-caller. 

"If I’m on that football team, I know that my quarterback is going through stuff personally. I can see that in the news. I can see that in his face. I’m trying to huddle around him," Irvin explained during the conversation. "The national media is ripping him for going to the wedding Friday, missing practice and then playing that way.

"What I would do if I’m in that locker room, that would make me all that much more want to huddle around my quarterback and say, 'Hey, they’re being unfair to him! Let’s make sure we step up and do what we need to do to protect him, because he came here and helped us win a championship!' I’m not in that locker room saying, 'I can’t believe he went to the owner’s wedding! I can’t believe he missed walk-through!' I’m trying to comfort Tom Brady." 

A visibly-frustrated Brady yelled at members of Tampa Bay's offensive line on Sunday afternoon and went on to complete 25-of-40 passes for 243 yards with one touchdown in the 20-18 defeat in Pittsburgh that dropped the Buccaneers to 3-3. 

Former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw reportedly criticized Brady during Fox's NFL coverage on Sunday for skipping a walk-through to attend Kraft's wedding, and retired offensive tackle and two-time First-Team All-Pro Andrew Whitworth admitted on Monday he was "bothered" by Brady's decision. 

Brady and the Buccaneers will look to right the figurative ship when they play at the 1-5 Carolina Panthers this coming Sunday.