A new report Thursday may potentially shed some light on Tom Brady’s mysterious 11-day “personal” absence from football.
Several sources informed the New York Post’s Page Six website that Brady and his wife, Gisele Bündchen, have been feuding over the future Hall-of-Fame quarterback’s decision to un-retire from football. Bündchen has reportedly left the Brady family’s home in Tampa for Costa Rica, following a series of heated arguments. Brady previously described his absence from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in the middle of training camp and the preseason, as “personal.”
“There’s been trouble in the marriage over his decision to un-retire,” a source told Page Six. “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,” the source added.
“The GOAT” announced his retirement from football in February after his Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.
“I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention,” Brady wrote in an Instagram post at the time. But six weeks later, he announced that he was un-retiring. “These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands,” Brady wrote on Twitter in March. “That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa.”
For her part, Bündchen has resumed her modeling career, and is currently starring in an ad campaign for the British luxury fashion house Burberry. “It’s almost like Gisele was like, ‘Well, if you’re going to keep playing, so will I,’” one source said. “She’s resentful that Tom is still the football superstar.”
Another source told the outlet that the couple have been engaged in fights like this before, but in the past, they have always made up and reunited.
“They have a fiery relationship,” added another source. “Gisele is a bit hot-headed — she has that Brazilian heat!”
Representatives for both Brady and Bündchen declined to comment.
Brady disappeared from Buccaneers training camp in early August, missing 11 days of practice and two preseason games. At the time, the internet was abuzz with speculation that Brady had swapped out his face mask for an appearance on the hit FOX show “The Masked Singer,” but the quarterback shot down those rumors. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said that skipping the two exhibition contests did not matter, since Brady would not have played anyway, and said that the absence had been pre-planned.
Upon his return, Brady explained himself somewhat while withholding details, calling his absence “personal” and saying he had “a lot of s*** going on” in his private life.
“It’s all personal,” Brady told reporters at a post-practice press conference. “You know, everyone has different situations they’re dealing with and we all have unique challenges to our lives … I’m 45 years old, man. There’s a lot of s*** going on, so you just have to try and figure out life the best you can. You know, it’s a continuous process.”