After sources confirmed Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and his wife Gisele Bündchen hired divorce lawyers, insiders made sure to emphasize that the athlete is still the best father he can be.
Brady and Bündchen share two children together, son Benjamin Rein, 12, and 9-year-old daughter Vivian Lake. According to a source close to the family, his children adore him. “The kids love Tom,” the insider told PEOPLE magazine. “He is a great dad.”
Another source acknowledged weeks ago that Brady gets time off during the season, specifically to spend with his family. “No other husband gets six months off a year to be totally devoted to just their family,” they stated.
For months, rumors regarding the couple’s relationship status have circled, many believing the athlete’s desire to continue playing football put unwanted tension on his marriage. In an interview this summer with Elle, Bündchen even admitted she has issues with her husband’s continuation of the sport.
Gisele Bündchen has her ‘concerns’ about Tom Brady continuing to play football
“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,” the Brazilian model explained. “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.”
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Following this statement, multiple insiders came forward and shared that Bündchen wishes Brady would retire for good. “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,” the insider reported to PEOPLE last month.
“They’re hitting a rough patch,” the source added. “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.”
With this information in mind, many fans began speculating if Brady’s 11-day absence from Tampa Bay’s training camp had something to do with marital issues. When asked about it in a press conference, the 45-year-old Super Bowl champion had nothing but vague responses to give.
“Everyone has different situations they’re dealing with, and we all have unique challenges to our lives,” he commented at the time of the incident. “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.”
