'He needs to follow his joy, too'
The divorce proceedings between Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen have reportedly heated up since the pair hired divorce lawyers, and the latter is giving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback one last chance to settle matters.
Bündchen has reportedly hired the same divorce attorney who represented Tiger Woods and Jeff Gordon in their respective splits. Brady, 45, and Bündchen, 42, have agreed to look out for their children as they decide on how to divide assets.
Close friends of the couple hope the two can reconcile their differences for the sake of their two kids plus a third child Brady had with actresses Bridget Moynahan. Some noted Brady needs to “bend” to Bündchen, especially after going back on his decision to retire from the NFL this past offseason.
This “indifference” seems to be the root of the problems between the couple who have been married since 2009, but Bündchen has reportedly given the seven-time Super Bowl champion an “ultimatum,” according to Us Weekly.
“Gisele told Tom either he leaves football to spend time with the family or she is gone for good,” an insider told Us Weekly in an issue published Wednesday.
The biggest worry for Bündchen is the QB’s health as the insider added: “She doesn’t want him to continue to get injured and not be able to enjoy life in the future. She is doing it for her family.”
It’s an understandable fear on Bündchen’s part. The NFL has sought to tighten up it’s concussion protocol in response to the Miami Dolphins’ handling of Tua Tagovailoa. The third-year quarterback suffered multiple concussions in a matter of weeks, and it called into question how much the league cares about player safety.
While it is a risk all football players take when they step on the field, the burden is no less greater on the family members of those players.
“Obviously, I have my concerns — this is a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present,” Bündchen told Elle in their October 2022 cover story, per Us Weekly. “I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again. But ultimately, I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for (them). He needs to follow his joy, too.
“I’ve done my part, which is (to) be there for (Tom). I moved to Boston (when he played for the New England Patriots), 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.”
Brady and Bündchen reportedly are living apart during the divorce process, but hopefully their situation can get better sooner rather than later.