Tom Brady is opening up about the personal challenges that marked the end of his legendary football career. In a recent conversation with MLFootball, the seven-time Super Bowl champion admitted that his 23rd and final season in the NFL was one of the most difficult periods of his life. Brady, now 48, revealed that his divorce from supermodel Gisele Bündchen in October 2022 weighed heavily on him during his last year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“My last season was tough,” Brady confessed. “I was going through a personal family issue, and it was a challenge. It took a lot out of me in terms of my ability to play.”
A Career Culminating in 2023
Brady initially announced his retirement in February 2022 but returned for one more season with the Buccaneers. He had previously spent 20 seasons with the New England Patriots before joining Tampa Bay in 2020. His final retirement came in February 2023, closing the book on a 23-year career that cemented his place as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
“I had 23 years of football, so I didn’t think I was missing anything retiring,” Brady explained. “I always had a goal — 45. I was 45 years old, I wanted to spend time with my kids. They’ve been to enough of their dad’s games.”
Family First
Brady shares two children, Benjamin, 16, and Vivian, 13, with Bündchen, and has an older son, Jack, 18, with ex Bridget Moynahan. Bündchen has since moved forward with her husband Joaquim Valente, welcoming a baby boy in February 2025. Despite the personal upheaval, Brady said he gave everything he could to his teammates and coaches during his final season. “I felt like I owed it to them to give everything I had. I wish it could have been a little bit better at the end, but it was a unique situation and a unique year for me.”
Life After Football
Since retiring, Brady has focused on his children and new business ventures. Speaking to PEOPLE at the Fanatics Studios launch party earlier this month, he emphasized his commitment to staying busy and fulfilled. “I don’t have much time for a personal life or much time for myself, but I love working and I love my kids,” he said.
Brady has also made headlines for his personal life post-divorce. He was recently spotted getting close to influencer Alix Earle during a New Year’s Eve party in St. Barths. The two were seen chatting and being affectionate, sparking speculation about a possible romance. Prior to Earle, Brady was linked to supermodel Brooks Nader in 2024. As Brady transitions into life beyond the NFL, his focus remains clear: family, work, and building a new chapter after decades of dominance on the field.
