After the rumors that went on for a number of weeks back in 2022 that Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen had retained lawyers and were gearing up for a divorce after months of speculation that the couple’s marriage was on shaky ground, we now know that the speculation turned out to be true. Sadly, it doesn’t look like these two are getting back together any time soon, but (!!) it seems like they’re in a much better place than they were back last fall. If you wanna know all the deets about what exactly went down between these two—from initial reports of an “epic fight” to claims the couple was “living separately” and deets about their “ironclad prenup”—, we’ve put ’em all in one place to keep track.
~Circa 2020
Tom opens up about the impact his career has had on his marriage during an interview with Howard Stern, saying that Giselle’s felt he wasn’t doing his “part for the family” and “felt like I would play football all season and she would take care of the house. She wasn’t satisfied with our marriage. So I needed to make a change in that. Her point was, ‘Well, yeah, of course this works for you. It all works for you. But it doesn’t work for me.'”
Obviously things were fine for several years after this, so consider that quote a little background as we head to….
August 11, 2022
Tom is excused from practicing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and head coach Todd Bowles says he’s dealing with “some personal things.”
“Tom has been excused today,” Tom explains. “He’ll be taking… he’ll be back somewhere around after Tennessee. He’s going to deal with some personal things.”
August 27, 2022
After a 11-day absence from practice, Tom returns and tells reporters (via TMZ), “Everyone has different situations they’re dealing with, and we all have really unique challenges to our lives. I’m 45 years old, man. There’s a lot of shit going on, so you just have to try and figure out life the best you can. You know, it’s a continuous process.”
September 1, 2022
Page Six reports that Tom and Gisele are in the middle of an “epic fight” and claims she left the family compound in Tampa for a trip to Costa Rica.
“Tom and Gisele are in a fight right now,” one source says, while another adds, “There’s been trouble in the marriage over his decision to un-retire. Gisele has always been the one with the kids. They had agreed he would retire to focus on the family, then he changed his mind.”
September 7, 2022
People reports that Tom and Gisele are experiencing “a lot of tension” over his decision to un-retire, and they’re in a “rough patch.”
“There’s a lot of tension. She was so happy when he announced his retirement, and she wasn’t thrilled at all when he went back on that,” a source says. “They’re hitting a rough patch. But I know they’re trying, or at least he’s trying, to figure it out and make it work. He wants to get through this and for things to get better.”
September 11, 2022
Gisele tweets her support for Tom…
But doesn’t attend his first game of the season. An insider tells People, “Everyone here knows that there’s tension, but we don’t know how serious it is. So we’re just not talking to him about Gisele. It’s not a topic anyone wants to bring up to him.”
September 12, 2022
A source tells People that “Going back to Tampa after the retirement put a strain on the personal side of [Tom’s] life. Gisele is frustrated and sick of his career coming before their family, who has always supported him.”
September 13, 2022
Gisele gives an interview to Elle saying, “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. At this point in my life, I feel like I’ve done a good job on that. I have a huge list of things that I have to do, that I want to do. At 42, I feel more connected with my purpose.”
She also says, “I feel very fulfilled in that way, as a mother and as a wife. And now it’s going to be my turn.”
September 16, 2022
A source tells People that Tom and Gisele have been living apart for over a month, while an Entertainment Tonight insider says, “Gisele has been telling Tom for a while he needs to spend more time with the family and after he retired, she thought she was getting what she asked for. Once Tom decided to go back to the NFL, she was devastated. Gisele is very hurt.”
Another source explains to ET that “Gisele is upset with Tom and wants some space right now. She is getting pushed to her limit. She has always supported Tom and has been there for him, but she is over it. She doesn’t think Tom has been himself lately.”
September 28, 2022
Page Six reports that Tom and Gisele are both “hunkering down” in Miami ahead of Hurricane Ian but notes they are staying in separate homes.
October 4, 2022
Multiple outlets report that Tom and Gisele have hired divorce lawyers. A source tells Page Six, “I never actually thought this argument would be the end of them, but it looks like it is. I don’t think there will be any coming back now. They both have lawyers and are looking at what a split will entail, who gets what, and what the finances will be.”
Meanwhile, a source tells Entertainment Tonight that “Rumblings of marital issues between Tom and Gisele began towards the end of the summer, and more recently, things have gotten worse and more serious. They haven’t been in a good place. Gisele feels like Tom has chosen his career over his family, and she is tired of it. She also has her own dreams and aspirations and doesn’t want to have to keep putting her goals on hold. They are weighing their options for their future as a family and thinking about what next steps might look like.”
October 6, 2022
Tom Brady is “hurting” according to a People source. “She is the one steering the divorce,” the source says. “She is playing offense and he is playing defense. He wants to protect himself, protect his interests, but he’s only starting to go the legal route in his defense from her. He doesn’t want this to be ugly, he doesn’t want to fight. If the divorce is happening — and it seems like it is — he wants it to go as smoothly as possible.”
Meanwhile, an insider tells Entertainment Tonight that “Tom isn’t taking things well. He wants to reconcile and was still holding out hope that they could work things out. He is extremely hurt and misses Gisele being by his side. He feels abandoned in a way. He loves his family, but also wants to continue his career. He feels like he is in a tough spot.”
:/ Hate to hear it. We’ll be updating this with more news as it happens, and here’s to hoping Tom and Gisele make it work. (And if they don’t, that she rebounds with Pete Davidson.)
October 7, 2022
People’s source is back for more, this time saying that Tom and Gisele’s marriage drama has kinda been going on for a while. “[The problems] are 10 years old,” the insider muses. “This has been going on forever. This is nothing new to either of them.”
Meanwhile, apparently “Gisele is doing fine. She is getting her stuff in order. They are both over [fighting for their marriage] and it’s happening now so they can do their own thing and move on.”
October 12, 2022
Gisele drops a, uh, not-that-subtle emoji on the comments of this post about inconsistent relationships….
A source also tells Us Weekly that Tom and Gisele’s friends are less than impressed with Tom’s decision to un-retire. “Gisele and Tom’s friends are upset at Tom for going back on his word and coming out of retirement,” the source says. “They hate the way Tom is refusing to bend for Gisele.”
But! Said friends think these two could get back together.
“This was really the first big issue they’ve had in their marriage. Friends are hoping they aren’t past the point of no return. Tom has been throwing himself into work and focusing all his love on the kids. Gisele has been focusing on their kids and also working to build up her businesses and take some time for herself.”
October 28, 2022
According to TMZ, Tom and Gisele have officially reached a settlement ending their marriage. What’s more? Their divorce documents are said to be formally filed in Florida later today. The outlet adds that their sources say lawyers for the pair have, “been working with a mediator to hammer out both property settlement and custody” and have finally “come to terms.”
March 22, 2023
After about five months since Gisele and Tom officially finalized their divorce, the model finally breaks her silence—both on where she stands today and what actually led to the split. “It’s like a death and a rebirth,” she confesses in an new interview with Vanity Fair, explaining that she has been mourning “the death of my dream.”
“It’s tough because you imagine your life was going to be a certain way, and you did everything you could, you know?” she continues. “I believed in fairy tales when I was a kid. I think it’s beautiful to believe in that. I mean, I’m so grateful I did.” The model also addresses all of the rumors about the supposed reason why she and Tom ultimately divorced, calling the allegations that it had to do with him returning to football “very hurtful” and “the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.” In reality, the athlete’s career was apparently “one piece of a much bigger puzzle.”
“When I was 26 years old and he was 29 years old, we met, we wanted a family, we wanted things together. As time goes by, we realize that we just wanted different things, and now we have a choice to make. That doesn’t mean you don’t love the person. It just means that in order for you to be authentic and truly live the life that you want to live, you have to have somebody who can meet you in the middle, right? It’s a dance. It’s a balance,” Gisele admits. “We’re not playing against each other. We are a team, and that’s beautiful. I look back and I have no regrets. I loved every bit of it.”
August 9, 2022
Amid speculation that Gisele isn’t thrilled by news that Tom Brady is dating Irina Shayk, she makes it clear that there are nothing but good vibes by posting prayer hands on Instagram photos from a trip he took with their kids:
August 22, 2023
Gisele looks back on tons of special moments throughout the years with Tom’s son, John “Jack” Edward Thomas, whom the retired NFL pro shares with ex Bridget Moynahan.
The sweet carousel features a throwback pic of the supermodel holding John as a toddler, yet another snap of him alongside Gisele and Tom’s own two children—daughter Vivian, 10, and son Benjamin Rein, 13—, and a more recent image of them together.
“Happy birthday Jack! I can’t believe that you are turning 16! I remember when you were just a little peanut and now you are towering over me. I am so lucky to have you in my life and I will always be here for you no matter what! Love you so much!❤️,” Gisele gushes in the post.
September 18, 2023
Gisele opens up to People, touching on what a rough year she’s had in general (and without mentioning her divorce specifically). “It’s been very tough on my family. It’s been a lot — in every area of my life,” she explains. “I feel like whenever it rains, it pours. With all the different twists and turns that life takes, all we can do is the best we can given what happens in our surroundings.”
While speaking about her dedication to working out and wellness, she notes, “I think if I didn’t have all the different tools that I have to support me during these times, it would’ve been very hard. And I think we all can relate to that, because I think we all have gone through our roller coasters of life.”
March 6, 2024
Gisele breaks down crying in a trailer for an upcoming interview with Robin Roberts while speaking about her divorce, saying “Sorry, guys. I didn’t know. Can I have a little moment?”
