Gisele Bündchen has expressed her support and love for husband Tom Brady after the football star confirmed he would be retiring after 22 seasons playing in the NFL.
On Tuesday, the supermodel shared a photo of the couple and their family embracing in a football stadium on Instagram, where she wrote: “What a ride @tombrady! So many memories! When I met you over 15 years ago, I didn’t know the first thing about football. But cheering for you and seeing you do what you love most made me learn about this wonderful game to the point that I seriously believed I knew more than the referees!”
Bündchen then reflected on some of the sentimental highlights of her husband’s career, including the family’s tradition of creating a “special champions playlist” for their drives to each game.
“As a family, we always prayed for you, celebrated and supported you in every game, cheered every win and suffered with every loss,” she continued, before expressing her pride over everything the athlete “had to overcome physically and emotionally over the years”.
In the heartfelt post, the supermodel, who shares daughter Vivian, nine, and son Benjamin, 12, with Brady, who is also father to son Jack, 14, then reflected on the “awe” she feels over the quarterback’s dedication, as well as the legacy he will leave behind.
“I am in awe of your dedication, and of everything you have achieved. You love what you do, and you leave behind a legacy that is a beautiful example for future generations,” she wrote. “You are the most dedicated, focused and mentally tough person I have ever met. You never once complained over the years about all the bruises and aches and pains.
“You just kept focusing on your goal to go out there and be the best leader there was to all your teammates.”
Bündchen concluded the post expressing her excitement for the future, while noting how “incredibly inspiring” it is to see Brady continue to pursue his passions.
“There is nothing you can’t achieve. I have always been here for you, you know that, and I’m as excited as you are for what the future holds!” she added.
The tribute comes after Brady paid tribute to Bündchen and his family in his retirement statement, with the football star describing his wife and children as his “inspiration”.
On Tuesday, the quarterback, 44, officially addressed the reports that he is retiring in a lengthy statement, in which he shared his gratitude for his impressive career, his fans, and all those who helped him to get where he is today.
Brady, who has been married to Bündchen since 2009, then took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the supermodel, who he described as the “most loving and supportive wife,” and to his children, who he called his “greatest achievement”.
“And lastly, to my wife, Gisele, and my children Jack, Benny and Vivi. You are my inspiration,” Brady wrote. “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.”
The tribute comes after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback previously revealed that he and Bündchen were facing a “very difficult issue” in their marriage, as the supermodel still had professional achievements that she wanted to accomplish.
Speaking on his SiriusXM podcast Let’s Go! With Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray in October 2021, Brady said that his wife, who was formerly the highest-paid model in the world before retiring from the runway in 2015, had been the one raising their family as he had focused on football.
“I think my wife has, you know, held down the house for a long time now,” the seven-time Super Bowl winner explained. “And I think there’s things that she wants to accomplish. You know, she hasn’t worked as much in the last 10, 12 years just raising our family and kind of committing to being in a life in Boston and then moving to Florida.
“But that’s an issue, and it’s a very difficult issue to reconcile without just saying: ‘Hey, it’s time to retire.’”
At the time, the football star also noted that he wished he could spend more time with his children, before joking that his family may end up becoming “sick and tired of me screwing up everything that’s been going on in the house for a long time too”.
Brady also recently spoke candidly about a desire to be with his family more after the Buccaneers were defeated from the playoffs, with the NFL player acknowledging at the time that he wasn’t sure what comes next but that he thinks “now it’s just some time to spend some time with my family and spend some time with my kids”.
The football player has been playing in the NFL since 2000 when he was drafted by the New England Patriots. After winning six Super Bowls with the team and playing 20 seasons, Brady began playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
