Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen's marriage faced tensions over his NFL career years before the couple eventually divorced in 2022, according to a new biography about the former quarterback.
Lars Anderson's Brady: An American Story and the Price of Greatness, released on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, revisits Brady's football career and his personal life, including his relationship with Bündchen. The biography is based on years of reporting and more than 350 interviews, according to its publisher.
Among the details reported from the book is Bündchen's alleged push for Brady to retire from professional football, with the issue reportedly becoming a recurring point of tension in their marriage.
Gisele Bündchen Urged Tom Brady To Retire in 2017
According to accounts from Anderson's book, Bündchen first raised the possibility of Brady retiring after the New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI in February 2017.
The Patriots won 34–28 in overtime, giving Brady his fifth Super Bowl victory. The biography reportedly claims that, amid the celebrations, Bündchen asked her husband, 'Would now be the perfect time to retire?'
Brady allegedly rejected the idea, responding, 'Too bad, babe. I'm having too much fun right now.'
The Retirement Dispute Continued
The retirement question was not presented as an isolated conversation. Anderson's biography reportedly describes Bündchen as wanting Brady to be more present with their family while he remained deeply committed to his NFL career.
A later account in the book reportedly centres on a letter Bündchen wrote after the Patriots' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII in February 2018. According to reports about the biography, she wanted Brady to spend more time with their children and to be more present when he was at home.
The details add context to a period when Brady was still performing at the highest level of professional American football. He continued playing for the Patriots until 2019 before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
Bündchen, meanwhile, had built a major career of her own as a model and had also spoken publicly over the years about the importance of family life.
Brady Retired in 2022 — Then Returned
The question of Brady's retirement became public again in early 2022. On 1 February 2022, Brady announced that he was retiring from the NFL after 22 seasons. In his statement, he said he wanted to focus his time and energy on other areas of his life. At that point, he had won seven Super Bowl titles.
Bündchen publicly supported the announcement. She shared a message celebrating Brady's career and described how their family had supported him throughout his time in football. However, Brady changed his mind.
On 13 March 2022, he announced that he would return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for another season. In a post announcing his decision, Brady said that he had realised his place was still on the field and that his time to leave the sport had not yet come.
The decision subsequently became a major part of reporting about the couple's relationship. Contemporary accounts noted that Bündchen had initially expressed support for his return, although tensions between the pair became increasingly visible later that year.
Their Marriage Ended in October 2022
Brady and Bündchen had married in February 2009 after beginning their relationship in 2006. They share two children, Benjamin and Vivian.
By 2022, however, their relationship had deteriorated. Brady took an 11-day absence from Buccaneers training camp that summer to deal with personal matters, according to reports based on Anderson's biography. The book describes the period as an attempt to address problems in his marriage.
The couple announced their divorce on 28 October 2022 after 13 years of marriage. In their public statements at the time, both described the decision as difficult and emphasised their children. Brady ultimately completed his final NFL season with Tampa Bay and announced his retirement again in February 2023. This time, the retirement was presented as permanent.
What the New Biography Adds to the Story
The publisher describes Brady: An American Story and the Price of Greatness as a biography examining Brady's career, retirement and personal life. It specifically explores how his intense commitment to football affected his role as a husband and father.
Contemporary reporting indicated that there were other issues between Brady and Bündchen, rather than one single event determining the outcome of their marriage. The couple's divorce ultimately ended a 13-year marriage, but the latest account suggests that conversations about Brady's retirement had begun years before their separation became public.
