Signs Tom Brady & Gisele Bündchen's Marriage Wouldn't Last
Not all marriages can have happy endings, even despite admirable efforts to make it work. This proved to be true for superstar ex-spouses Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen, who called off their 13-year marriage in October 2022. After over a decade of well-documented ups and downs, the pair finally decided it was game over for their relationship.
Although we'd like to say we never saw it coming, unfortunately, the couple had a long history of highly publicized rough patches. From beginning to end, it seems that Brady and Bündchen's relationship was filled with just as much drama as it was passion. While fans around the world were rooting for the quarterback to save his marriage, this was one win that the GOAT just couldn't pull off.
From baby mama drama to sports scandals, the couple weathered a decent amount of marital trouble over the years. Was their relationship doomed from the start? Here are all of the red flags Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen's marriage was never meant to last.
Divorce rumors after Deflategate
Life in the public eye can have a huge impact on a relationship, and no one understands that better than Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen. After a report was released that confirmed Brady's involvement in the 2015 Deflategate scandal, the then-New England Patriots quarterback faced intense backlash. Not only did the incident impact his reputation, but it's also said that it had an effect on his marriage.
An exclusive source told E! News that Tom's attitude took a turn for the worse following the Deflategate drama. Reportedly, Gisele found it difficult to be around her husband since his stress and anger levels were at an all-time high. This prompted Gisele to take multiple trips with friends and family members to get some distance from Tom. According to the source, the time apart benefited the couple, and by the end of that year, they appeared to be on good terms for the time being. Responding to rumors that his marriage was on the rocks, Brady defended his marriage in a September 2015 radio interview, stating that Bündchen was his biggest supporter (via Twitter).
Tom Brady's involvement in Ben Affleck's Nannygate scandal
The same year Brady was dealing with Deflategate, he was involved in a second "-gate" scandal with his pal Ben Affleck. In June 2015, the "Gone Girl" actor visited the Bahamas with his then-wife Jennifer Garner, their children, and their former nanny, Christine Ouzounian. According to a source who spoke with Page Six, things took a turn for the dramatic on the flight home.
Reportedly, Affleck convinced Ouzounian to accompany him on a flight back to Los Angeles, unbeknown to Garner. But along the way, he convinced the nanny to take a detour with him to a poker tournament in Las Vegas, and they picked up Tom Brady along the way. The source claims that Affleck had intended to hide the fact that he was with Ouzounian from his wife, but a scandalous photo posted to the nanny's Instagram blew their cover.
In the photo, the former nanny smiled for the camera and flaunted four of Tom Brady's Super Bowl rings on her hand. After learning about the ordeal, reports state that Garner was understandably upset and immediately fired Ouzounian. Three days later, Garner and Affleck announced their separation. This scandal, thereafter labeled "Nannygate," also called into question Tom Brady's loyalty to Gisele Bündchen, and rumors spread that the incident may have contributed to their relationship troubles that year.
Tom Brady got his ex pregnant
Before Tom Brady became involved with Gisele Bündchen, he dated actor Bridget Moynahan. According to People, they were a couple for three years before calling it quits in late 2006. A month later, it was reported that Brady had begun dating Bündchen just before Christmas. But by February 2007, a bombshell was dropped on their brand-new relationship. Tom Brady was going to be a dad — with Bridget Moynahan. Unknown to them, the pair had conceived a baby together before their split.
In a 2009 interview with Vanity Fair, Bündchen recalled the shock she felt when she discovered Moynahan was pregnant. At the time, she explained that although it was initially a very challenging situation, it caused her to fall even more in love with Brady. And while the trio went on to be a shining example of successful co-parenting, we wonder if the rocky start of their relationship was indicative of how it would end.
Tom and Gisele spent their birthdays apart
2015 was an all-around difficult year for Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen's relationship. Following the Deflategate and Nannygate scandals, it appeared that the couple was so on the rocks that they chose not to celebrate their birthdays together. This was extremely unusual for the pair, whose birthdays are just two weeks apart, and created suspicion that their marriage was on the skids.
But according to a source who spoke with People, Brady and Bündchen were just extremely busy that year. Although he was in training camp, on July 20, 2015, Tom wished Gisele a happy birthday via Facebook. And in return, Gisele posted a photo with Tom and their two children on August 3, 2015, wishing the football star a happy birthday as well (via Instagram). Though the photos made it appear that all was well in paradise, we can't help but wonder if their separate celebrations were a sign of their eventual separation.
Tom Brady focused on career over family
It's no small feat that Tom Brady became the most record-breaking NFL player of all time (per ESPN). That kind of achievement takes an incredible amount of dedication and sacrifice, and unfortunately, no one understands that better than Brady's ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen. It's no secret that the supermodel has been expressing her desire for her husband to retire for years. But the couple never got to experience retired life together, because Brady didn't hang up his jersey until four months after their divorce.
It's no secret that Tom's love of the game was a cause of tension between him and Gisele. In February 2022, Brady officially announced on Instagram that he would be retiring after 22 years in the NFL. In the post, he explained that other things required his time and attention, and referred to Gisele and his children as his greatest achievement in life.
But just one month after his initial retirement announcement, Brady posted to Twitter to announce that he would be returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his 23rd season. While the tweet stated that his return was only possible due to his teammates and family members, many speculated that reversing his retirement could have been the beginning of the end for him and Gisele.
Tom Brady was open about rough patches with Gisele Bündchen
In the years before their divorce, Tom Brady had spoken publicly about some of the issues between him and his then-wife Gisele Bündchen. In an interview with Howard Stern in April 2020, the football star opened up about a letter that she had written to him, stating that certain aspects of their marriage weren't working for her anymore (via Insider).
During the interview, Brady explained that Bündchen felt that he was too committed to his career both on- and off-season. Even outside of games, Brady was fully invested in other business activities, which left his wife with the responsibility of caring for their home and children. Bündchen expressed that this was causing her to be dissatisfied with their marriage.
Although Brady mentioned that he had made changes to become more of a family man, in the end, it may not have been enough to save their relationship. The former NFL quarterback played for three more seasons before the couple divorced in October 2022.
Gisele Bündchen sacrificed her career so Tom Brady could continue his
Apparently, even if you're an international supermodel like Gisele Bündchen, having a family can take a toll on your career. After becoming a mother, Bündchen mostly put her modeling aspirations on the back burner to be there for her children. While her ex-husband Tom Brady was fully dedicated to his football career, she sacrificed work in order to pick up his slack.
In a September 2022 interview with Elle, the Brazilian beauty opened up about her sacrifices and her plans for the future. While she explained that she was grateful for the time she was able to spend with her children while they were young, she feels fulfilled in motherhood and is ready to make a return to her career.
For many women, sacrificing career advancements to be the main caretaker for children can cause resentment toward their spouses. While we're sure that Bündchen, one of the highest-paid models of all time, wasn't completely without help when raising her children, we can't help but wonder if this was a factor that contributed to her divorce from Brady.
Rumors that Gisele Bündchen potentially cheated on Tom Brady
When any high-profile couple divorces, many people assume that someone cheated. Following the official announcement that Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen were divorcing, the internet began scrutinizing both of their acquaintances to look for any possible signs of infidelity. While there are no confirmed reports of either party cheating, people have raised their eyebrows at Bündchen's relationship with her jujitsu instructor.
According to a source who spoke with Page Six, Bündchen and her children began taking martial arts lessons from instructor Joaquim Valente in 2021. While the source claims that their relationship is completely platonic, the pair have been pictured on vacation in Costa Rica together, causing some rumors to emerge about if they were involved prior to Bündchen's divorce.
Another rumor comes from The Daily Mail, after an exclusive source told them Bündchen had moved on with luxury resort developer Jeffrey Soffer. The 55-year-old billionaire is the ex-husband of supermodel Elle Macpherson and is also a friend of Tom Brady. Per the source, Bündchen and Soffer meet secretly and have been seeing each other for several months now. While there is no proof that their relationship began prior to her divorce, the rumor mill has been hard at work trying to piece together if their involvement may have begun before Brady and Bündchen's split.
Gisele Bündchen made cryptic social media posts
An avid social media user, Gisele Bündchen isn't one to shy away from sharing her emotions on Instagram. The supermodel is known to post many photos of herself and her family with heartfelt captions. But in early October 2022, before her divorce had officially been announced, a more obscure post from Bündchen caused people to question whether she and Brady had called it quits.
At that time, author Jay Shetty posted an image with a quote to his Instagram account that explained how a committed relationship won't work with a person who is inconsistent. Bündchen left a short but impactful comment on the post, consisting of a single prayer hands emoji. Many users replied to her comment, speculating that Bündchen empathized with the quote due to her rocky history with Brady. In the end, these assumptions proved to be correct, given that the couple announced their official split just two weeks later.