Tom Brady says divorce from Gisele Bündchen made last NFL season challenging
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NFL legend Tom Brady said off-field issues contributed to some of his on-field struggles during his final NFL season.
Brady was divorcing Gisele Bündchen during his senior season, and the seven-time Super Bowl champion said problems in his personal life made it a challenge.
“My last season was tough,” Brady said during a recent appearance on News Sports’ “The Herd.”
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News Sports analyst Tom Brady arrives at the stadium before a game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 14, 2025. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“I was going through… I had a lot of personal and family issues, and it was challenging. It was very… it just took a lot out of me in terms of, you know, my ability to continue playing.”
Brady’s final season with the Buccaneers was the only season in his career in which he had a sub-.500 record, going 8-9 and still winning the NFC South. In 17 games that season, Brady completed 66.8% of his passes for 4,694 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
While Brady called it a challenging year, his 4,694 yards were still impressive. To put that into context, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 yards this season.
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Gisele Bündchen attends the Franca Fund Gala 2025 at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar on November 23, 2025. (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
Brady added that during that season, he knew it was time to attend his sons’ games.
“I was 23 (playing in the NFL), so I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything by retiring. I thought, ‘Okay, I always had a goal this time: 45.’ I was 45. I wanted to spend time with my kids and I thought, ‘Okay, now’s the time to be at all of my kids’ games.’ They’ve been to enough of their dad’s games.”
Brady and Bündchen were married for 13 years and had two children together before divorcing in 2022.
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Bündchen married her jiujitsu instructor Joaquim Valente in 2025 after going public with their relationship in 2023. The couple welcomed a baby boy in February 2025.
Brady has yet to go public with a new romance since the divorce.
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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for News Digital.