Rumors Are Swirling About The Cause Of Tom Brady And Gisele Bündchen's Reported Rift

Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost on Sunday to another GOAT — Aaron Rodgers — but Brady's troubles currently transcend the football field. Ever since the seven-time Super Bowl champ took an 11-day break from the Buccaneers' training camp in August, there's been talk that his marriage to Gisele Bündchen is on the rocks. For several years now, Bündchen has made it clear that she would like her husband to be more present in his kids' lives, so Brady's decision to un-retire in March went down about as well as you might imagine. "I've done my part, which is [to] be there for [Tom]," Bündchen revealed in a September interview with Elle, alluding to years spent cheering on the sidelines and raising their children.

When the Bucs fell to the Green Bay Packers, the Brazilian-born model wasn't even in the stands. She has typically attended home games in the past, and Brady was reportedly "hopeful" that she would be there, per the New York Post. Was Bündchen's absence sending a message? Given the timing of everything — and the fact that their kids were there — it seems to be the case. "Tom and Gisele are still not seeing eye to eye regarding his retirement," a source told Us Weekly. "They are currently living in separate houses, but continue to communicate." While the couple has not been seen together publicly in quite some time, rumors are swirling about the cause of their reported rift. Is it really football that's coming between them, or could it be something more?

After Tom Brady retracted his decision to leave the NFL, he and Gisele Bündchen spent most of the summer apart, according to Page Six. Apparently, this physical distance created emotional distance, too. Denying reports of any infidelity, a source told the outlet that the couple had simply "grown apart." They added, "There was never an ultimatum set down for Tom to choose between football or her. Their problems are more about the distance that has been created between them over a longer period of time." However, it could be that football was responsible for contributing to this sense of distance, and that Bündchen is ready to prioritize her own career.

In a September interview with Elle, she alluded to the fact that she had put her own dreams on hold for the good of the Brady bunch. Now? "And now it's going to be my turn," she said, speaking about her work as an environmentalist and a model. Per British Vogue, Bündchen is a longtime advocate for the environment and has championed eco-minded initiatives for over a decade. With Brady's retirement looming large, the model seems to be relishing the chance to put her own goals at the forefront. "I have a huge list of things that I have to do, that I want to do," Bündchen told Elle. "At 42, I feel more connected with my purpose."