Perhaps the writing has long been on the wall for Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen.
Brady and Bündchen reportedly have hired divorce lawyers, with a source recently telling PEOPLE the Brazilian supermodel is "done" with their 13-year marriage and ready to "move on" from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback. But the couple's marital issues are nothing new, a source told PEOPLE, and a permanent separation might have been inevitable.
Page Six reported late last week, citing multiple sources, that Bündchen consulted a divorce lawyer in 2015 after a secret split from Brady.
The sources reportedly added that Brady and Bündchen split a few times over the years but always worked things out. Their most recent blowout, prior to the fight that reportedly led to their current separation (and potentially a divorce), is believed to have happened two years ago, sources told Page Six.
This jives with a recent report from TMZ, in which sources close to Bündchen said she separated from Brady and threatened to divorce him several times over a period of years. The sticking point, per TMZ: football. Bündchen has wanted Brady to retire, both fearing CTE and disliking the QB's NFL schedule.
Brady briefly retired this past offseason after 20 seasons with the New England Patriots and two seasons with the Bucs. He evidently couldn't stay away from the gridiron, though, and ultimately decided to come back for another year at age 45, much to Bündchen's chagrin.
The couple's history of reconciling in the face of marital problems suggests we probably shouldn't rule out Brady and Bündchen settling their differences, however farfetched it might seem at this point. Then again, all signs point toward this being the end of the road, with discussions even taking place about how they could divide their assets.
Brady and Bündchen have two children together, Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, 9. Brady also has a 15-year-old son, Jack, from his previous relationship with actress Bridget Moynahan, and Bündchen is very much part of his life, as well.
