Tom Brady's legendary NFL career came at a cost—and a new book suggests the price was his marriage. According to Lars Anderson's upcoming biography Brady: An American Story and the Price of Greatness, Gisele Bündchen repeatedly asked Brady to hang up his cleats, and when he refused, their relationship crumbled. The divorce was finalized in fall 2020, but the accusations of selfishness had been simmering long before.
Brady, who famously played until age 45, downplayed the split at the time. "There's a lot of professionals in life that go through things that they deal with at work and they deal with at home," he said. "Obviously the good news is that it's a very amicable situation, and I'm really focused on two things — taking care of my family and certainly my children. And secondly doing the best job I can to win football games." He added, "That's what professionals do. You focus at work when it's time to work. Then when you come home, you focus on the priorities that are at home."
But Anderson's book paints a different picture. After the Patriots won the Super Bowl in 2019, Gisele asked Brady, "Would now be the perfect time to retire?" His alleged response: "Too bad, babe. I'm having too much fun right now." That moment epitomized the disconnect. The author writes that Gisele "needed him to be present when he was at home, not responding to text messages on his constantly buzzing cell phone or replaying a game in his mind. She needed more help with the kids. She needed the chance to sleep in just a few days a week. She needed more time for her own career."
The book even claims Gisele, who is into astrology, once told Brady, "We're not compatible," based on their star signs, and just like that, she was done. While that detail might raise eyebrows, it underscores how far the relationship had deteriorated.
NFL fans were quick to weigh in, with many siding with Gisele. "He was being selfish. He should've retired earlier," one fan wrote. Another added, "I don't blame Gisele. She was a superstar in her own right. But she chose to stay home and raise the kids, too." The criticism echoes other recent debates about athletes putting their careers above family, such as the Josh Allen flu game criticism that sparked similar conversations about selfishness in sports.
Not everyone agreed, though. One fan defended Brady: "Tom Brady's 'selfishness' was taking full advantage of a literal one-in-a-million career opportunity where he made a fortune for his family by working half the year before fully retiring by age 45." That perspective highlights the impossible balance between professional greatness and personal sacrifice.
The divorce drama also brings to mind other messy splits in sports, like the Brittney Griner divorce battle over finances. And as Brady navigates life after football, even his dating life has become fodder for headlines, with Gronk's dating advice for Brady making the rounds.
Was Brady selfish for chasing one more ring, or did he have every right to keep playing? The answer depends on who you ask. But one thing is clear: the GOAT's drive for greatness came with a heavy toll, and the final score off the field was a painful loss.
