Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen have reportedly hired divorce attorneys amid rumors of a separation, CNN has detailed.
The reports come not long after it was claimed that the pair were living separately, following Brady's decision to come out of retirement from the NFL. Per SI, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback originally retired at the end of the 2021 season, before returning to the field a mere two months later - saying he still belonged on there.
Gossip surrounding the spouses' marital woes first began swirling after the 45-year-old - who is often referred to as TB12 in reference to his jersey number - was missing from the Buccaneers training camp for 11 days in August, citing "personal reasons," per FOX Sport.
Following this, Bündchen then gave some insight into her marriage to Brady, in an interview with ELLE as the magazine's October cover star.
"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 told the magazine. "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"
The Brazilian supermodel - who shares four children with TB12 - also spoke about her own decision to step away from modeling to focus on her family and especially her husband, stating: "I've 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."
Bündchen continued by saying she felt more connected to her purpose, especially given that she was able to watch her children grow and succeed, as well as seeing her husband grow and succeed in his own career.
The 42-year-old also touched upon the sexist rhetoric in the media that often paints her as "desperate" for her husband to retire: "I think this is the system we've been living in. That's what society has accepted and what society hasn't accepted."
The mom-of-two didn't mention in the interview the status of her 13-year marriage to TB12, though, headlines have run rampant in recent months, especially as the two have apparently been living in separate houses.
Notorious celebrity gossip site TMZ reported that the couple's marriage had become "so bad," forcing them to reside apart. Now, it seems, rumors of lawyers and divorce settlements are coming to a head.
Page Six has alleged that the couple could see divorce proceedings move forward in Florida, where the family lives and spends much of their time.
Unfortunately, Hollywood divorces are never easy - not that any divorce is - especially given that disputes can often go public and division of assets can be an arduous process. In Bündchen and Brady's case, discussions will have to be made as to how the couple will choose to divide their $26 million real estate portfolio, the details of which have been reported by The New York Post.
