More than two weeks after Tom Brady returned to NFL training camp after a mysterious absence, rumors are still swirling about how he spent his time away.
The latest reports center on tension between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback and his wife, former super model Gisele Bundchen, which stems from Brady’s football career. Bundchen is reportedly ready for her 45-year-old husband to retire — for good.
Although Brady has not addressed rumors of marriage drama directly, he has spoken recently about his struggle to balance the demands of football with the demands of family life.
“You can’t stop your life even though sports is happening,” Brady said during a recent podcast interview, according to NBC News.
He continued, “Even though I’m playing in my 23rd year, I have a freshman in high school that is playing football, too. I have a 12-year-old that is going through his life. I have a 9-year-old that is going through her life. And I have parents, and I have a lot of things that are really important, off-field pursuits and goals that you’re trying to maximize as well.”
Brady has also acknowledged multiple times in the past that Bundchen would like him to retire sooner rather than later.
Here’s a look at times when Brady has addressed the retirement-related tension between his wife and him:
March 2, 2021
One month after winning the Super Bowl, Brady revealed during an appearance on “The Late, Late Show with James Corden” that Bundchen asked him a pointed question as soon as she saw him on the field after the game.
“I saw my wife and I gave her a big hug,” he told Corden, according to US Weekly. “And just as I did it, she said, ‘What more do you have to prove?’”
Brady said he pulled Bundchen in for a bigger hug in order to avoid answering.
October 18, 2021
Brady addressed how his passion for football affects his family life in an October 2021 episode of his podcast, “Let’s Go.” He said that he was trying to help more around the house, but that the demands of his career definitely created tension.
February 1, 2022
In his statement announcing his (short-lived) retirement from football, the Tampa Bay quarterback thanked his wife and family for their support throughout his career.
“To my wife, Gisele, and my children Jack, Benny and Vivi. You are my inspiration. Our family is my greatest achievement. 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,” he said in the statement.
March 13, 2022
Brady announced in March that he wasn’t actually ready to hang up his cleats. In a tweet announcing his return to Tampa Bay, he credited his family for making the return to football possible.
“These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible,” Brady said.