Tom Brady has the full support of his wife, Gisele Bundchen, after retiring from football. Gisele has hinted over the years that she was ready for Tom to retire, and after he officially announced his decision on Feb. 1, she took to Instagram to send him a loving message.
“What a ride @tombrady ! So many memories! When I met you over 15 years ago, I didn’t know the first thing about football. But cheering for you and seeing you do what you love most made me learn about this wonderful game to the point that I seriously believed I knew more than the referees!” Gisele, 41, said on Instagram on Tuesday, February 1. “We always had a special champions playlist for every drive on our way to the game. As a family, we always prayed for you, celebrated and supported you in every game, cheered every win and suffered with every loss.”
She continued, “I’m so proud of you, and of everything you have had to overcome physically and emotionally over the years. I am in awe of your dedication, and of everything you have achieved. You love what you do, and you leave behind a legacy that is a beautiful example for future generations. You are the most dedicated, focused and mentally tough person I have ever met. You never once complained over the years about all the bruises and aches and pains. You just kept focusing on your goal to go out there and be the best leader there was to all your teammates. I know how excited you are about the next chapter of your life. Watching you work so hard in your football career and seeing the dedication you are now putting into all your new endeavors is incredibly inspiring. There is nothing you can’t achieve. I have always been here for you, you know that, and I’m as excited as you are for what the future holds!”
She then concluded her message with the following: “Words can’t really express how grateful I am to everyone who has been so supportive of my husband and our family for so many years. With all my love, Gisele”.
Tom’s 2021 football season came to an end on Jan. 23 when he and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Los Angeles Rams. Since immediately after the loss, fans have been speculating about Tom’s future. He played coy about his retirement plans until he made the official announcement on Feb. 1. Tom admitted that it was “difficult” for him to write his retirement statement, but explained that he simply couldn’t make the “all-in” competitive commitment to football any longer. “I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention,” Tom explained.
Of course, a big part of that is being able to devote time to his family. Tom and Gisele have been together since the end of 2006, tying the knot in Feb. 2009. Together, they have a son, Benjamin, 12, and daughter, Vivian, 9. Tom also has a 14-year-old son, Jack, with his ex, Bridget Moynahan. The football star has made it clear that his family is his priority, and he has praised his wife and kids for supporting the demands of his football career for so many years.
Before making his big decision, Tom spent time consulting with his family about what would be best for them. “It pains [Gisele] to see me get hit out there,” Tom explained in January. “And she deserves what she needs from me as a husband, and my kids deserve what they need from me as a dad.”
Tom played with the New England Patriots from 2000 until 2019, leading the team to six Super Bowl victories during his tenure. For the 2020 season, he headed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and won another Super Bowl. After the win, Tom admitted that Gisele was starting to push the retirement talk. “All of a sudden, I saw my wife, and I gave her a big hug,” he revealed in a March 2021 interview. “And just as I did it, she said, ‘What more do you have to prove?’ I was trying to figure out a way to change the subject really quick!”