What happened to Tom Brady's voice? NFL fans worried about Bucs QB's health ahead of Patriots return

Tom Brady did not come out unscathed from his first-ever NFL game in Los Angeles. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers slipped to their first defeat of the season and their first loss in 11 games.

But it was not the three sacks Brady suffered that left an impact on the Buccaneers quarterback ahead of what will undoubtedly be an emotional homecoming at his former stomping ground in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday Night Football.

When Tom Brady walks out onto the Gillette Stadium field to face his former team, the New England Patriots, he may be doing so without his voice. Or at least, not a perfectly healthy voice.

Brady is used to going on the road into noisy environments and having to shout above crowd noise, but the 44-year-old is still feeling the after-effects of the Rams game in Week 3 – and the problem has continued to take its toll through the week.

Does Tom Brady's voice suggest he is not entirely healthy?

A strained voice is nothing to shrug off. Muscle tension dysphonia can happen when a person is sick and has developed vocal cord injury, such as laryngitis or swelling of the vocal cords.

Tom Brady and the Buccaneers insist there is nothing to worry about 48 hours before the QB makes his return to face Bill Belichick's Patriots in Week 4.

When asked about his health, Brady said:

"I've had a few of these days. I don't know what the deal is, so I got to try and figure this out. I said my throat was more tired than my arm. Imagine that."

Brady's health has undoubtedly raised concerns within the media and Buccaneers' fanbase. Medical advice suggests Brady should try not to overuse his voice and avoid speaking when his voice is hoarse or tired.

There's little chance of that, with Brady having to call plays from the line of scrimmage on his New England homecoming. The Patriots' home support will not politely keep the noise down and allow Brady to work his magic in his old backyard.

Brady may need to deviate from the ultra-restrictive TB12 diet and hit the honey lemon tea hard in the next few days.