In an October 2021 episode of his podcast, “Let’s Go! With Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray,” Mr. Brady was asked how he balanced his career with family life.
“I think my wife has, you know, held down the house for a long time now,” Mr. Brady said. “And I think there’s things that she wants to accomplish. You know, she hasn’t worked as much in the last 10, 12 years, just raising our family and kind of committing to being in a life in Boston and then moving to Florida. But that’s an issue, and it’s a very difficult issue to reconcile without just saying, ‘Hey, it’s time to retire.’ And I think there’s, you know, we’re coming to the end here too, so I don’t want to miss any of the kids’ stuff.”
2022: Rumors and ‘concerns’
Fans and media have, at times, portrayed Ms. Bündchen as particularly eager for her husband to retire from football. In a September interview with Elle, Ms. Bündchen agreed with the writer’s assertion that such a depiction is rooted in sexism.
“Obviously, I have my concerns — this is a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present,” she said. “I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again. But ultimately, I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for [them]. He needs to follow his joy, too.”
Mr. Brady’s absence from several days of training camp in August stirred the rumor mill. At a news conference, Mr. Brady sounded somber when asked why he had missed part of training for the upcoming season. “It’s all personal, you know everyone’s got different situations they’re dealing with. We all have really unique challenges to our life.”
In the profile for Elle, Ms. Bündchen reflected on the last decade or so. She said she had spent a good deal of time with her family, “creating a cocoon and a loving environment for my children to grow up in” and “supporting” Mr. Brady, but was feeling ready for a new era of her life.
“I feel very fulfilled in that way, as a mother and as a wife,” she said. “And now it’s going to be my turn.”
