Kate Upton celebrated husband Justin Verlander as the Houston Astros took home a second World Series title over the weekend. Now, baseball fans are comparing Upton and Verlander’s relationship to another famous sports couple, Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen.
After the Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies by 4-1 on 5 November, the 30-year-old Sports Illustrated model interrupted her husband’s post-game interview to celebrate his World Series win. When asked by retired baseball player David Ortiz if her husband should retire or play one more season, Upton showed her support for her husband’s career.
“I love watching my husband do what he loves to do,” she told the FOX Sports co-host. “When he’s pitching, it’s truly so creative and such an art and we’re so honoured to be a part of it.”
Verlander, 39, started blushing and interrupted his wife. “Alright, alright,” he said, laughing.
The viral clip received more than 500,000 views on TikTok since it was posted by @lineups on Sunday. However, Upton’s cheeky response to Verlander’s possible retirement drew many comparisons to former power couple Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen, who recently announced their divorce.
The NFL quarterback, 45, and the former Victoria’s Secret model, 42, finalised their divorce on 28 October after 13 years of marriage. Prior to their split, rumours circulated that Bündchen was unhappy with Brady returning to the NFL after he previously announced his retirement.
The caption for the TikTok read: “You won’t catch Justin Verlander in a Tom Brady situation.”
Some people praised Upton for supporting her husband’s baseball career and criticised Bündchen for ending her 13-year marriage to Brady midway through his football season. “That’s how you support your partner!!!” one person wrote.
“Tom Brady sending this to his wife,” said someone else.
However, others defended the Brazilian model and pointed out that Bündchen has “done her part” supporting her husband and family.
“Gisele was supportive for a LONG time and Tom was supposed to retire and then didn’t. Don’t blame her,” said another TikTok user.
“Tom Brady is a football player, Gisele was worried about his health and the longterm impact,” a third person said.
Brady and Bündchen shared the news that they had filed for divorce in a statement shared to Instagram. “In recent days, my wife and I finalised 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,” he wrote. “We are blessed with beautiful and wonderful children who will continue to be the centre of our world in every day.”
According to People, the couple agreed on joint custody of their children. The couple share two children, Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, nine, while Brady also shares son John, 15, with ex Bridget Moynahan. “We will continue to work together as parents to always ensure they receive the love and attention they deserve,” he said in the statement.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers player added that he and Bündchen arrived at the decision to end their marriage “after much consideration,” but they “wish only the best for each other” as they pursue “whatever new chapters in our lives that are yet to be written.”
Bündchen posted a separate statement to her Instagram, writing that her “priority has always been and will continue to be our children whom I love with all my heart.”
“We will continue co-parenting to give them the love, care and attention they greatly deserve,” she said. The model also acknowledged that the decision to end a marriage is “never easy,” but that she and Brady have “grown apart”.
“And while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always,” she continued. “I kindly ask that our privacy be respected during this sensitive time.”
Meanwhile, Upton and Verlander were married in 2017, just days after his first World Series win with the Houston Astros. In November 2018, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Genevieve.
