After a period of tabloid and fan speculation about the marriage of Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen, the couple have reportedly hired lawyers to get a divorce.
The New York Post first quoted “multiple sources” as saying the couple had hired lawyers and was beginning to work out the financial and personal details of their divorce. CNN and NBC also broke the news. Representatives for the couple did not respond to requests for comment.
The Post has been tracking the perceived discord in the marriage in recent months with many speculating that Bündchen and Brady had fallen out over Brady’s decision to cancel his retirement from his football career after 22 seasons. After announcing his retirement in February at age 44, Brady announced in March that he would return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his 23rd NFL season.
The couple, who have been married for thirteen years, have been a magnet for public opinion since they started dating more than fifteen years ago. The relationship, of a supermodel and a star athlete, has defined an archetype of a familiar and intoxicating celebrity couple. And while hiring lawyers doesn’t mean they’ll file for divorce, the details of their relationship — and its connection to Brady’s long and storied football career — have been a fixation for fans for a long time.
Their union is one of startling proportions, a stellar combination of two people at the top of their respective industries.
Brady is widely considered the best quarterback in football, with seven Super Bowl wins (six with the New England Patriots) and the most touchdowns and passing yards in NFL history. In 2022, he was number one on Forbes’ list of highest-paid NFL players. Bündchen is one of the most recognizable faces in the world and has transcended the world of catwalks. And there, she has her own stats: As of 2018, she had appeared on 1,200 magazine covers and in 450 fashion editorials and walked nearly 500 fashion shows, according to an excerpt from her 2018 book, “Lessons: My Path to a MeaningfulLife”. In 2016, she was reportedly the highest-paid (and richest) model in the world.
Throughout her marriage, Bündchen, 42, has focused on her family, taking a step back from her job, as her husband’s long career reached new heights.
Here’s a look back at some of her dates and key moments in her relationship.
2006: Blind Date at a Wine Bar
The couple first met on a blind date at Turks & Frogs, a wine bar in New York City’s West Village neighborhood.
“I knew it right, the first time I saw it,” Bündchen told Vanity Fair in 2009.
“We met through a friend. The moment I saw him, he smiled and I thought, ‘That’s the most beautiful and charismatic smile I’ve ever seen in my life!’” she said, adding that the two sat down to talk for three hours. “You know that feeling that you can’t get enough? From the first day we met, we never went a day without talking to each other, ”she assured.
2009: A ‘flood’ (and a proposal)
In January 2009, Brady and Bündchen were reported to be engaged. In a 2018 Vogue 73 Questions video, Bündchen shared a story about the witty way Brady had proposed to her.
“When she proposed to me, she made up a story that my apartment was flooding and I ran over there to try and fix the situation. When I arrived, the entire apartment had candles and rose petals. Then she got down on one knee to propose to me and I was like, ‘Get up!’ Because he had just undergone surgery, ”she recounted, adding:“ And here we are ”.
2009: Two Weddings
After a brief engagement, the couple married in February 2009 in a small ceremony at a Catholic church in Santa Monica, California, with a small group of family and friends in attendance. After the ceremony, they had a relaxed reception at home, grilling steaks in an intimate celebration. About a month and a half later, the couple had a second wedding with friends in Costa Rica, where Bündchen has a house.
Building a family
The couple have two children: a son, Benjamin, 12, and a daughter, Vivian, 9. Brady also has a 15-year-old son, John, from his previous relationship with actress Bridget Moynahan.
Bündchen and Brady often post photos of their children on social media, celebrating them as they grow up.
“I purposely accepted fewer modeling proposals in 2015, as I wanted to focus more on my family and personal projects,” Bündchen wrote in her book. She “retired” from the runway in 2015, but continued to work on photo shoots and other projects.
2018: ‘I have to let him do what he loves’
In an interview on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” the presenter asked if Bündchen would retire permanently.
“I think I’m as far away from retiring as I’ve ever been,” she replied. “I have never worked so hard in my life, actually. But I think I’ll retire the day I die. Because I love to work, I love to create. I think that’s why we’re here, just to keep creating, expanding and learning.”
When DeGeneres asked Bündchen if her husband was retiring from football, she responded, “You know, I think you should talk to him about it. I haven’t been very successful.”
DeGeneres asked if Bündchen gets nervous watching him play. Bunchen agreed. “I definitely wouldn’t want to have his job. I assure you,” she commented. “You know, I think it’s kind of concerning, but he loves the sport and I have to let him do what he loves.”
2022: Rumors and ‘concerns’
Fans and the media have at times said that Bündchen is particularly anxious for her husband to retire from football. In a September interview with Elle, Bündchen agreed with the writer’s assertion that such a depiction is rooted in sexism.
“Obviously I have my concerns: It’s a very violent sport and I have my children and I would like him to be more present,” she said. “I’ve definitely had those conversations with him over and over again. But ultimately, I think everyone has to make a decision that works for them. He also has to go after his happiness.”
Brady’s several-day absence from training camp in August stirred up the rumor mill. At a news conference, Brady sounded somber when asked why he had missed part of training for next season. “It’s all personal, you know everybody has different situations that they’re dealing with. We all have unique challenges in life.
In the profile for Elle, Bündchen reflected on the past decade. She said that she had spent a lot of time with her family, “creating a nest and a loving environment for my children to grow up in” and “supporting” Brady, but that she felt ready for a new stage in Brady’s life. she.
“I feel very fulfilled in that sense, as a mother and as a wife,” she concluded. “And now it’s my turn.”