It’s been a minute since the world collectively gasped at the news of the "perfect" couple calling it quits. Honestly, for a long time, Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen were the blueprint. They had the rings, the runway deals, and that seemingly unshakeable "power couple" energy. But then the 2022 season happened.
You’ve probably heard the rumors. People love a good villain, so they pointed fingers at Tom’s "un-retirement" or Gisele’s alleged ultimatums. It makes for a great tabloid headline, right? The reality, as it usually is with high-profile breakups, is way more nuanced and, frankly, a lot more human.
The Breaking Point Nobody Saw Coming
If you ask Tom now—which people still do, incessantly—he’ll tell you that final year was a grind. Just this week, in January 2026, Brady sat down on The Herd and got surprisingly real with Colin Cowherd. He admitted that his last season with the Buccaneers was "tough" because of the personal family issues weighing on him. You could see it on the field back then. For the first time in 23 years, the GOAT finished with a losing record.
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He wasn't just losing games; he was losing the bandwidth to keep the marriage together while chasing one more trophy.
Gisele has been equally vocal about clearing the air. In interviews with Elle and later Vanity Fair, she basically shot down the idea that she hated football. She didn't. She just wanted a partner who was present. She described the divorce not as a blowup, but as a "death of a dream." They didn't stop loving each other; they just grew into different versions of themselves. Sometimes, you just stop walking the same path.
Life in 2026: The New Reality
Fast forward to today, and things look drastically different for both of them. Gisele isn't just "moving on"—she’s essentially started a whole new life.
- The New Marriage: In December 2025, Gisele quietly married Joaquim Valente, her longtime jiu-jitsu instructor, in a small ceremony in Florida.
- The New Baby: They welcomed a baby boy in February 2025. Gisele recently posted a photo on Instagram showing off a necklace with the initials "J, B, V, and A"—representing Joaquim, Benjamin, Vivian, and her newest addition.
- The Career Shift: While she still does high-fashion shoots, she’s leaned heavily into wellness and "recharging," spending a lot of time in Costa Rica and Miami.
Tom, meanwhile, is leaning into the "busy" life. He’s told People magazine recently that he doesn't really have much time for a personal life. Between his massive Fox Sports broadcasting gig and his part-ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders, he’s basically working 24/7. Sure, he was spotted at a New Year's Eve party in St. Barths with influencer Alix Earle, sparking the usual "are they or aren't they" frenzy, but he hasn't gone public with a serious relationship yet.
Co-Parenting Without the Drama
One thing that’s actually impressive? How they’ve handled the kids. In an era where celebrity divorces usually turn into a mess of "leaked" sources and court battles, Brady and Bündchen have been remarkably stable.
They have a few "non-negotiable" rules for their kids, Benjamin and Vivian. For starters, they aren't allowed to be spoiled by their massive wealth. Brady has talked about how they make sure the kids understand they live in a bubble—that having people cook and clean for you isn't "normal" for most of the world.
They also share "full access." There’s no rigid, lawyer-mandated "you get them on Tuesdays" vibe. If the kids want to see Dad, they see Dad. If they want to be with Mom and her new family, they go there. It’s a level of maturity you don't always see when hundreds of millions of dollars are involved.
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Why the Public Still Can't Let Go
Why are we still talking about this in 2026? Because the "Tom Brady and Gisele" era represented a specific kind of American excellence that felt untouchable. When that broke, it reminded everyone that even if you're the greatest quarterback of all time or the highest-paid supermodel on earth, you can't always "win" at marriage.
There’s also the Joaquim factor. Some people close to Gisele’s family were reportedly "cautious" about her marrying her instructor, mostly due to the massive wealth gap. Brady is worth roughly $350 million. Valente... isn't. But Gisele seems completely unfazed. She’s choosing peace over status, which is a pretty bold move in that tax bracket.
Insights for Navigating Big Life Changes
If there’s anything to learn from the way these two handled their split, it’s these three things:
- Prioritize the Kids Over Your Ego: By allowing "full access" and keeping the public comments respectful, they’ve shielded their children from the worst of the fallout.
- Acknowledge the Toll: Brady’s recent admission that his personal life hurt his professional performance is a rare moment of vulnerability. It’s okay to admit that you can’t "do it all" when your home life is in shambles.
- Don't Fear the Pivot: Gisele didn't try to find "another Tom." She found someone who fits her current lifestyle—jiu-jitsu, wellness, and a quieter Florida life.
The story of Tom and Gisele isn't a tragedy; it’s just a long-form lesson in how people change. They’re both doing fine. One’s in a broadcast booth, the other’s raising a new family. It’s not the fairy tale they started with, but it's a lot more real.
Check out Tom's new broadcasting clips if you want to see how he's transitioning his "football brain" to the screen—it's actually better than people expected. Or, if you're into wellness, Gisele's book Lessons still holds up as a solid guide to the mindset she’s using to navigate this new chapter.