Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen officially ended their 13-year marriage on October 28, 2022, after a period of strain centered on the former NFL quarterback’s career longevity and family commitments, according to details revealed in a forthcoming book by Lars Anderson titled Brady: An American Story and the Price of Greatness.
The Breaking Point and Compatibility Claims
According to Page Six reporting on Anderson’s forthcoming book, a source close to Brady stated that Bündchen, who is interested in astrology, told her husband at one point during their relationship, “We are not compatible.” Anderson wrote that “And just like that, she decided to put an end to it,” describing the breakdown of a union that began when the couple married in 2009.
Retirement Clashes and Family Pressures
The book outlines that a primary source of friction between Brady and Bündchen involved the quarterback’s repeated decisions to delay his retirement. Bündchen reportedly urged her husband to consider stepping away from the game at least as far back as 2017, following the New England Patriots’ victory in the Super Bowl. Anderson reported that Bündchen asked Brady at that time if it was appropriate for him to retire, though Brady chose to continue playing.
Weeks after that 2017 victory, the couple vacationed with Jay Feely, a former teammate of Brady’s at the University of Michigan. Feely told Sports Illustrated that Bündchen asked him to help convince Brady to retire so he could spend more time with his family. However, Feely advised his former teammate to keep playing as long as he wished.
In 2018, following the Patriots’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, Bündchen reportedly wrote a letter to Brady. The book states that she urged him to be more present at home, spend less time on his phone and watching football, take on more childcare responsibilities, and allow her more space to pursue her own career. An anonymous former teammate suggested that Brady’s intense schedule and total immersion in football placed significant strain on the household, while Bündchen—who maintained a prominent international modeling career—grew exhausted trying to accommodate his routine.
The 2022 Retirement Reversal and Fallout
Brady played for the New England Patriots from 2000 to 2019 before moving to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. In February 2022, he announced his retirement from the NFL, only to reverse the decision roughly a month later and return to the field. Anderson reported that despite offering public support, Bündchen was unhappy with the reversal and traveled to Costa Rica for a period of time.
Former coaches and teammates cited in the book indicated that during that training camp, Brady appeared distracted, lost weight, and questioned his decision to return to competition. Representatives for both Brady and Bündchen did not respond to Page Six inquiries regarding the book’s contents.
Life After the Divorce
When the couple announced their official divorce on October 28, 2022, Bündchen stated that they had “grown apart” and emphasized that their children, Benjamin and Vivian, remained their absolute priority.
Following the separation, Bündchen began a relationship with jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente. The two married in December 2025 and share a one-year-old son. Meanwhile, media outlets have reported on romantic connections between Brady and model Irina Shayk as well as social media personality Alix Earle.
Over a 23-season NFL career spanning his time with the Patriots and Buccaneers, Brady secured seven Super Bowl victories, five Super Bowl MVP awards, and three NFL MVP honors before retiring in February 2023. Bündchen established herself internationally as one of the world’s most prominent fashion models, rising to prominence in the late 1990s through runway work for houses such as Alexander McQueen, Chanel, and Dolce & Gabbana, alongside a lengthy tenure with Victoria’s Secret.
Keep reading
