Tom Brady and Gisele B眉ndchen have finalized their divorce, they announced Friday, ending the 13-year marriage between two superstars who respectively reached the pinnacles of football and fashion.
Divorce documents were filed Friday in Glades County, Florida, a rural location near Lake Okeechobee far from the big-city limelight, according to court records. The divorce was made final the same day.
鈥淭he marriage of the parties is dissolved because the marriage is irretrievably broken, and each spouse is restored to the status of being single and unmarried," Circuit Judge Jack Lundy said in his order, noting that the couple's settlement agreement will not be filed in court but they 鈥渁re ordered to comply with the terms鈥 of that document as well as a confidential parenting plan for their children.
Brady and B眉ndchen posted statements Friday morning on Instagram, each saying they had 鈥渁micably鈥 reached the decision.
鈥淭he decision to end a marriage is never easy but we have grown apart and while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always,鈥 B眉ndchen wrote.
Both said their priorities lay with their children and asked for privacy.
鈥淲e arrived at this decision to end our marriage after much consideration,鈥 Brady wrote. 鈥淒oing so is, of course, painful and difficult, like it is for many people who go through the same thing every day around the world.鈥
The divorce landed in the midst of and amid his in 20 years, just months after the seven-time Super Bowl champion The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback 鈥 who had long stated a desire to spend more time with B眉ndchen and his three children 鈥 only to change his mind 40 days later.
鈥淲hat more do you have to prove?鈥 B眉ndchen told her husband on the sidelines after his last, record-shattering Super Bowl victory, as Brady himself recounted shortly after the win.
Despite Brady initially saying his retirement was a chance to focus his 鈥渢ime and energy on other things that require my attention,鈥 part of his motivation to come back was what he has referred to as 鈥渦nfinished business鈥 with the Buccaneers. The team failed to reach the Super Bowl last season in their effort to repeat as champions.
B眉ndchen told 鈥淐BS This Morning鈥 in 2017 that she was concerned about her husband after the previous year. Brady's then-team, the New England Patriots, and agent declined to respond to her comments at the time, and an NFL spokesperson said he had suffered a head injury. Brady later said he preferred to
鈥淚 mean, we don鈥檛 talk about it," B眉ndchen said during the interview. "But he does have concussions. I don鈥檛 really think itsa国际传媒 a healthy thing for anybody to go through.鈥
She more recently contended that the characterization in reports that she was desperate for her husband to retire carried sexist overtones.
鈥淥bviously, I have my concerns. This is a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present,鈥 the in September. 鈥淚 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.鈥
B眉ndchen and Brady were introduced by a mutual friend and married 鈥 twice 鈥 a little over two years later. They said their first 鈥淚 dos鈥 in early 2009 at a Catholic church in Santa Monica, California, before family and close friends, followed by an equally small second wedding at her house in Costa Rica nearly two months later.
Their son Benjamin was born later that year, followed by a daughter, Vivian, in 2012. Brady also has a 15-year-old son, Jack Moynahan, from a previous relationship with actor Bridget Moynahan.
The couple could have filed for divorce in any of Floridasa国际传媒 67 counties, including ones where they have residences in the Tampa and Miami areas. It was not the first time a celebrity has chosen a more remote county for their proceedings. Tiger Woods鈥 divorce was finalized in 2010 in a brief courtroom appearance out of the limelight in Panama City on Floridasa国际传媒 Panhandle.
B眉ndchen, who was discovered by a modeling scout at age 13 in Brazil, secured her place as one of the industry's highest-paid models by the 2000s and became a tabloid staple, fueled by a relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio. In addition to walking the runways of top designers, appearing in campaigns for high street and high fashion brands alike, she signed on as a Victoria's Secret Angel and took on small film roles 鈥 including in 鈥淭he Devil Wears Prada."
She took a giving up runway work and limiting herself to a few advertising campaigns and magazine covers a year. She made one big exception, and a huge smile in 2016 as she crossed a 400-foot (120-meter) runway while fellow Brazilian 鈥淭he Girl from Ipanema.鈥
Since paring back her modeling commitments, she has dedicated herself to environmental activism, particularly with regard to and business ventures like eco-friendly skin care and a lingerie line. She has also been vocal about mental health, disclosing debilitating panic attacks that she said had her contemplate suicide and criticizing unrealistic beauty standards.
Above all, B眉ndchen told Elle,
鈥淚鈥檝e done my part, which is (to) be there for (Tom). I moved to Boston, and I focused on creating a cocoon and a loving environment for my children to grow up in and to be there supporting him and his dreams,鈥 she said. 鈥淪eeing my children succeed and become the beautiful little humans that they are, seeing him succeed, and being fulfilled in his career, it makes me happy. At this point in my life, I feel like I鈥檝e done a good job on that.鈥
After years in Boston 鈥 where Brady 鈥 and then moving again to Tampa with him in 2020, she said she had her own plans: 鈥淚 have a huge list of things that I have to do, that I want to do. At 42, I feel more connected with my purpose.鈥
Brady turned 45 in August, when he for unspecified personal reasons. The team supported the leave, calling it a pre-planned break agreed to before the start of training camp in July.
A three-time NFL MVP and the league's all-time leader in yards passing and touchdowns, Brady signed a 10-year contract reportedly worth $375 million to become the once he hangs up his cleats. When that will be is yet uncertain 鈥 while Brady had expressed an interest in extending his playing career beyond his mid-40s if he remained healthy, his now ex-wife had a different idea back in 2017.
鈥淭hat kind of aggression all the time, that cannot be healthy for you,鈥 she said 鈥淚鈥檓 planning on him being healthy and do a lot of fun things when we鈥檙e like 100, I hope.鈥
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Associated Press journalists Curt Anderson and Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.
