Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Deion Branch was excused from today's practice for personal reasons, head coach Pete Carroll said.

The Seahawks returned to work on Monday after having Thursday-Sunday off during their bye week.

Branch, 31, is the subject of trade rumors, with reports out of Boston and Seattle having the former Super Bowl MVP headed back to the New England Patriots before next Tuesday's trade deadline.

Branch was in Louisville, Kentucky this weekend to have his #9 jersey retired.

"I'm going to leave that to the people that handle that," Branch said of the trade rumors via C.L Brown of the Courier-Journal on Saturday. "Right now I'm still a Seattle Seahawk, and whatever happens happens."