Tom Brady lost approximately 20 pounds amid the mounting personal stress that preceded his 2022 divorce from supermodel Gisele Bündchen. Newly published details from a forthcoming book reveal the severe physical toll the NFL legend suffered during the marital breakdown.
The Hidden Toll of a High-Stakes Season
The strain included a desperate 11-day effort by Brady to salvage the relationship during an unannounced absence from training camp.
Inside the Buccaneers Locker Room
In his new book, author Lars Anderson details how the intense pressures surrounding the separation impacted Brady during the autumn of 2022. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians recalled in the text that the weight loss was an immense change given Brady’s normal athletic frame.
Arians noted that the root cause was unequivocally the personal turmoil Brady was enduring at the time. Another assistant coach observed that Brady’s cheekbones appeared sharply pronounced as the stress mounted.
A Last-Ditch Trip to the Bahamas
A letter sent by Bündchen to Brady expressed a desire for him to be more present for their family while simultaneously stating that she required time to pursue her own professional goals.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(939x305:941x307)/gisele-bundchen-met-gala-050123-bb4bbcf7838648cfa7cb0b9812ee7d13.jpg "Tom Brady Lost 20 Pounds Before Divorce From Gisele Bündchen")
Brady initially announced his retirement in early 2022 before reversing course to play one final season with Tampa Bay prior to his definitive 2023 retirement. Amid this turbulence, he made a last-ditch bid to save the marriage during training camp.
Before leaving the team facility, Brady informed coach Clyde Christensen that he needed to handle personal matters. He traveled to a private resort in the Bahamas in a final attempt at reconciliation.
An Empty Shell Returns to Tampa Bay
Christensen later recounted that it was entirely uncertain whether Brady would return to the team. The coach described the quarterback as looking like an empty shell upon his return 11 days later.
Despite those efforts, the relationship could not be repaired. Bündchen ultimately declared that the two were incompatible, bringing an end to a marriage that began in 2009.
The former couple shares two children. Brady also shares a 19-year-old son, Jack, with former partner Bridget Moynahan.
Moving On After the Split
Bündchen subsequently married jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente late last year, following the birth of their son in February 2025.
During their 2022 divorce proceedings, Brady raised questions regarding Bündchen’s relationship with Valente. Bündchen firmly denied those allegations at the time.
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