Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen have announced they have ended their marriage of 13 years.
On Friday, Brady shared the news that the longtime couple had filed for divorce in a statement shared to his Instagram. The move comes after it was previously reported that the athlete and former supermodel had hired divorce lawyers.
“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.
“We will continue to work together as parents to always ensure they receive the love and attention they deserve.”
According to a source that spoke to People, the couple has 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.
In the post, the football quarterback said that he and Bündchen arrived at the decision to end their marriage “after much consideration”.
“Doing so is, of course, painful and difficult, like it is for many people who go through the same thing every day around the world,” he continued. “However, we wish only the best for each other as we pursue whatever new chapters in our lives that are yet to be written.”
Brady concluded the statement asking for privacy and respect as he and Bündchen “navigate what is to come in the days and weeks ahead”. “Thank you,” he added.
Bündchen also shared the news in a statement of her own, which she shared to Instagram. “With much gratitude for our time together, Tom and I have amicably finalised our divorce. My priority has always been and will continue to be our children whom I love with all my heart,” she wrote. “We will continue co-parenting to give them the love, care and attention they greatly deserve.”
In the statement, the supermodel 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.”
The couple’s decision to end their marriage comes amid ongoing reports of relationship struggles, which some have speculated were tied to Brady’s decision to unretire from professional football in March 2022, after he previously announced his retirement in February of this year.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, who returned to the game for his 23rd season, has been open about the toll the sport has taken on his family. In March 2020, he revealed during an episode of his SiriusXM podcast Let’s Go! With Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray that Bündchen still has things she want to accomplish, but that she hasn’t been able to pursue her goals because football has taken priority.
“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,’” he said at the time.
Last month, the former supermodel added to the speculation that her husband’s career may have contributed to their marital struggles in an interview with Elle, in which she revealed that she believes she’s done her “part” supporting her husband and their family.
“I’ve done my part, which is [to] be there for [Tom]. I moved to Boston, and I focused on creating a cocoon and a loving environment for my children to grow up in and to be there supporting him and his dreams. Seeing my children succeed and become the beautiful little humans that they are, seeing him succeed, and being fulfilled in his career - it makes me happy,” she said. “At this point in my life, I feel like I’ve done a good job on that.”
Bündchen then went on to note that she feels like it is now her “turn”. “And now it’s going to be my turn. It’s not like I’m going to be in the valley forever,” she said.
During the same interview, the model also expressed her concerns about her husband’s return to football, as she said it is “a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present”.
The couple, who celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary earlier this year, first met in 2006 through a mutual friend, before tying the knot in 2009. After months of speculation that the couple had been experiencing marriage struggles, sources claimed on 4 October that both Brady and Bündchen had hired divorce lawyers.
The Independent has contacted representatives for Brady and Bündchen for comment.
