Still there for him. Gisele Bündchen sent love to her ex-husband, Tom Brady, as he tearfully announced his official retirement from the NFL after 23 seasons.
“Wishing you only wonderful things in this new chapter of your life. 🙏🏼,” the supermodel, 42, commented on the athlete’s video, which he shared via Instagram on Wednesday, February 1.
Brady, 45, reflected on the support he received from his teammates, coaches, loved ones — and even his competitors — in his emotional announcement. The seven-time Super Bowl champion also shared a carousel of photos throughout his career that showed him celebrating with various member his family, including a sweet image with Bündchen and his three children. (The Brazil native and the quarterback share son Benjamin, 13, and daughter Vivian, 10; Brady is also the father of son, Jack, 15, whom he shares with ex Bridget Moynahan.)
The NFL legend’s announcement comes four months after he and Bündchen finalized their divorce. The couple were married for 13 years before Us Weekly confirmed in September 2022 that they were in contact with divorce lawyers.
“Gisele was not happy when Tom un-retired from the NFL after such a short time,” an insider exclusively told Us at the time. “They’re working through things and trying to come out the other side.”
Brady briefly stepped back from professional football in February 2022, stating at the time that he was “not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things,” including his family, he noted at the time.
In a stunning reversal, Brady announced 40 days later that he had changed his mind and would be back on the field. “These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now,” he tweeted in March 2022. “I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG.”
Bündchen, for her part, was vocal about her “concerns” when it came to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers star’s decision to go back on the field — and how much it would affect their family.
“Obviously, I have my concerns — this is a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present,” she candidly revealed in the October 2022 issue of Elle. “I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again.”
She concluded: “I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for [them]. He needs to follow his joy, too.”
After months of speculation, the pair announced in October 2022 that they had finalized their divorce.
“In recent days, my wife and I finalized our divorce from one another after 13 years of marriage,” Brady wrote via Instagram at the time. “We arrived at this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together. We are blessed with beautiful and wonderful children who will continue to be the center of our world in every way. We will continue to work together as parents to always ensure they receive the love and attention they deserve.”
Since his split from the Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life author, Brady has spent quality time with his children, even going on a “daddy daughter” double date with Vivian and David Beckham, who was joined by daughter Harper, 11. The athletes documented the special night out via their respective Instagram Stories on Thursday, January 26.
