2022 hasn’t been a particularly good year for Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady. First, his team was dethroned as champions. Then he retired, came back a month and a half later, and is currently having a terrible season in Tampa, swamped with rumours about his failing marriage.
Brady put the rumours to rest Friday, announcing on Instagram that he and wife Gisele Bundchen have finalized a divorce, ending 13 years of marriage and months of speculation about marital problems.
Bundchen also shared the news with her followers on her Instagram account.
Back in January, Brady and the Bucs – the defending Super Bowl champions – were dethroned in the NFL playoffs by the LA Rams, who would win the Super Bowl a few weeks later. After the loss, Brady decided to retire in early February. No one blamed him for it. He’d played 22 NFL seasons and won 7 Super Bowl rings. He’d left nothing on the table.
But clearly, retirement and a chance to spend way more time with the family didn’t particularly agree with Brady.
Brady came out of retirement just 40 days later, which may not have gone over very well on the home front. On opening day, Bundchen took to social media, tweeting her support of Brady’s return. That’s believed to be the last time she’s posted anything about her now ex-husband.
Meanwhile, the Bucs have been terrible, posting a record of 3-5 so far. Brady has finally started to look the way you’d expect a 45-year-old to look on an NFL field. But age may not be the only factor. There’s a good chance he’s been a man distracted by personal issues.
The Bucs just lost to Baltimore Thursday night 27-22 — their fifth loss in six games. Afterward, Brady sat at his locker, searching for answers, looking like a man who had just lost his best friend.
During training camp back in August, Brady took an eleven-day break so he could tend to personal matters.
“It’s all personal,” Brady told the media. “Everyone’s got different situations they’re dealing with. I’m 45 years old, man. There’s a lot of s— going on. You’ve just got to try to figure out life the best you can.”
Brady has now figured out his marital situation and it couldn’t be saved. It now remains to be seen if there’s anything left to save of his legendary football career.
By Steve Warne
