A Timeline of All of Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen's Recent Marital Troubles

Has Tom Brady stopped connecting to his No. 1 target Gisele Bündchen? We’re untangling all the drama that’s occurred since the Super Bowl MVP made an unexpected return to the field.

By Tierney Bricker Oct 14, 2022 10:00 AMTags
Watch: Tom Brady on Dealing "With Life" Amid Gisele Bundchen Split Rumors

Is it fourth and inches for Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen?

Rumors of an impending divorce between the NFL quarterback, 45, and his supermodel wife of 13 years have been following the couple for months. While neither Tom or Gisele have officially commented on the reports, there have been signs that the pair could be calling it quits after 16 years together.

The first fumble came this past March after Tom—dad to Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, 9, with Gisele and Jack, 15, with ex Bridget Moynahan—reneged on his decision to retire from football after 22 years, a choice that Gisele, 42, publicly expressed her frustrations with in a candid interview. Since then, Gisele's social media activity, Tom's comments about how he handles stress and their respective hiring of divorce attorneys have added fuel to the fire that only a Hail Mary pass could save their relationship. 

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Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen: Romance Rewind

Here's a play-by-play analysis of all the recent signs of the marital troubles between Tom and Gisele:

Concerns and Conversations

When Tom Brady initially announced his retirement from the NFL after 22 seasons in February 2022, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback acknowledged his wife Gisele Bündchen and his three children, calling them his "inspiration" in an Instagram post.

"Our family is my greatest achievement," Tom wrote. "I always came off the field and home to the most loving and supportive wife who has done EVERYTHING for our family to allow me to focus on my career. Her selflessness allowed me to reach new heights professionally, and I am beyond words what you mean to me and our family. Te amo amor da minha vida."

But Brady's retirement proved to be short-lived as the Super Bowl MVP changed his mind just one month later and signed on to play in his 23rd season, 

In an interview with Elle published Sept. 13, Gisele admitted she had "concerns" over his decision to continue playing. "This is a very violent sport," she explained, "and I have my children and I would like him to be more present."

The supermodel added that she and Tom had many conversations "over and over again" about his possible retirement,  but said, "Ultimately, I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for [them]. He needs to follow his joy, too."

NFL Wife Life

While rumors of marital trouble began circulating after Brady's announcement that he would continue playing football, Gisele still showed her support for her husband when he took the field for his first game since re-joining the Buccaneers. 

"Let's go @TomBrady!," she tweeted on Sept. 11, adding, "Let's go Bucs!"

Still, Gisele has yet to attend one of Tom's game in-person and she recently opened up about all the times she has taken one for the team.

"I've done my part, which is [to] be there for [Tom]," she told Elle. "I moved to Boston, and I focused on creating a cocoon and a loving environment for my children to grow up in and to be there supporting him and his dreams."

She continued, "Seeing my children succeed and become the beautiful little humans that they are, seeing him succeed, and being fulfilled in his career—it makes me happy. At this point in my life, I feel like I've done a good job on that."

Her Turn

In her candid interview with Elle, Gisele explained that, while she feels "very fulfilled" being a wife and mother, she still had "a huge list of things that I have to do, that I want to do."

One dream she revealed was ready to pursue was engaging in environmental activism, especially in her home country of Brazil. So, after years prioritizing Tom's football career, Gisele said, "Now it's going to be my turn."

Tom's Tablet Outburst

After throwing a Microsoft tablet and getting into a heated argument with his teammates during a game against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 18, Tom took to Twitter to apologize for his actions, noting in a video that both the highs and the ugly moments "count too."

"Sorry for breaking that tablet," he said. "I think that's going to be another Twitter meme or something like that."

Tom addressed his behavior again on the Sept. 19 episode of the Let's Go! With Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray podcast, admitting that he needs to get his "emotions in a good place."

"I think there's an importance where you can become too overly emotional, which I definitely think I was yesterday," he said. "I've got to find a better place to be at so I can be at a better place for my teammates."

Something's Missing on That Finger

When Gisele was photographed in Miami, Fla. on Oct. 4, she was missing one important accessory: Her wedding ring.

The sans-ring sighting came after a source told E! News that Tom and Gisele had each retained New York-based divorce attorneys.

"There has always been a lot of love and passion between them," the source said. "But now that they have been apart, it seems like this is better for everyone."

Dealing "With Life"

In honor of World Mental Health Day, Tom reflected on how he deals with pressure both on and off the field.  

"Everyone has different situations in their life and children, and, you know, you worry about their mental health, you worry about your parents, obviously yourself," he said on the Oct. 10 episode of his SiriusXM podcast. "I think I've had to learn a lot of things over a long period of time in sports. I think there's an intense amount of stress that we all deal with, and how do you relieve stress so that you're not inflicting so much damage on yourself through kind of stress response?"

While Tom didn't cite any specific anxieties in his interview, he spoke about the the importance of taking things one day at a time. 

"We're not robots," he shared. "You wake up every day trying to do the best you can do, understanding that life has its stresses and to deal with them with a great support system and understanding and having some introspective in your life where you can look at yourself and say, 'Where do I need to commit my time and energy to? And how can I lessen some of the stress and lessen the burden on me so that I can be good for people around me?'"

A Curious Double Tap

Gisele's social media activity garnered analysis after she shared a cryptic response to an Instagram post about relationships.

While promoting his new book, author Jay Shetty posted a small excerpt on Oct. 11. "You can't be in a committed relationship with someone who is inconsistent with you," he wrote. "Read that again." In his caption, Shetty expanded on the quote's meaning.

"Love is a daily effort," the On Purpose podcast host explained. "Some days it may come easier than others and that's OK, but what should always stay consistent is the respect and admiration you have for your partner's values and goals."

In addition to liking the post, Gisele also left a comment, dropping a prayer hands emoji. Football fans, this might require a trick play.

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