Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and his wife, supermodel Gisele Bündchen, have been battling rumors of trouble in paradise for months now, and it seems like the end is actually near. Following an uncharacteristic third-straight loss for the football legend and his team on Thursday night, as well as reports that the couple have been living separately for months, it’s reported that they will file for divorce on Friday, October 28.
UPDATE: Soon after this story was published, Tom Brady took to his Instagram Stories to share the following statement:
In recent days, my wife and I finalized our divorce from one another after 13 years of marriage. 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. We arrived at this decision to end our marriage after much consideration. Doing so is, of course, painful and difficult, like it is for many people who go through the same thing every day around the world. However we wish only the best for each other as we pursue whatever new chapters in our lives that are yet to be written. And we kindly ask for privacy and respect as we navigate what is to come in the days and weeks ahead. Thank you 🙏
The headline-making couple, who got married in 2009, have apparently been working with their lawyers and a mediator to reach a settlement, TMZ reports. Official divorce documents were expected to be filed Friday in Florida, with an agreement regarding their property and custody of their two children.
The news comes the day after the Tampa Bay Bucs lost to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. The loss is the team’s third in a row, and their fifth defeat out of their last six contests. While it’s unknown how much Tom Brady's personal situation is affecting his on-field performance, it’s worth noting that this is the first time since 2002 that the quarterback has lost three straight games, and it’s the first time in his career that a team he is leading has fallen two games below .500.
Rumors of a split between Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen began when the seven-time Super Bowl champion returned to the Bucs this fall. The 45-year-old had chosen to retire at the end of last football season, but that decision lasted only six weeks before he announced he was coming back for his 23rd year of professional football.
The quarterback took an unexpected leave during the preseason to deal with a “personal" situation, and rumors that all was not well with the former Victoria’s Secret model grew when Gisele Bündchen and their children failed to attend any of Tom Brady’s games so far this season. It was reported that she’d moved out and hired a divorce attorney.
Tom Brady spoke a couple of years ago about times when Gisele Bündchen “wasn’t satisfied” in their marriage because of the amount of time he spent away from their family, and he spoke this month about how football takes over his personal life, despite attempts to achieve a better work/life balance. The Buccaneer compared football season to “going away on deployment for the military” — a comment he later apologized for after receiving backlash on social media.
While it was believed that this season would be Tom Brady’s last in the NFL, the quarterback raised more eyebrows on his podcast Let’s Go! on October 24, when he stated, “There’s no immediate retirement in my future.” However, Tampa Bay has been struggling so far this season, dropping five out of their last six games and the last three in a row.
With their 13-year marriage coming to an end, we wish the best for Tom Brady, Gisele Bündchen and their children.
