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Shocking News:The Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen Divorce: Unraveling the Role of Football, Rituals, and Speculation For over a decade,….See More

Shocking News:The Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen Divorce: Unraveling the Role of Football, Rituals, and Speculation
For over a decade,….See More
Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen were the epitome of a power couple, blending athletic prowess and supermodel glamour. Their 13-year marriage, which began in 2009, produced two children, Benjamin and Vivian, and weathered the intense scrutiny of fame. However, in October 2022, the couple announced their divorce, stunning fans and sparking widespread speculation about the reasons behind their split. While much of the narrative centered on Brady’s decision to un-retire from the NFL, reports of an unusual “sex ritual” and Gisele’s holistic practices added a layer of intrigue to the story. This article delves into the multifaceted factors that contributed to their divorce, critically examining the role of Brady’s career, Gisele’s spiritual rituals, and the sensational claims surrounding their personal life.
The Public Narrative: Brady’s Football Obsession
The most widely reported factor in the Brady-Bündchen divorce was Tom Brady’s decision to return to the NFL after briefly retiring in February 2022. After 22 years in the league, Brady announced his retirement, only to reverse course six weeks later, signing on for a 23rd season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This decision reportedly caused significant tension in his marriage. Sources close to the couple told outlets like Page Six and Us Weekly that Gisele was frustrated by Brady’s choice to prioritize football over family, particularly given his age (45 at the time) and the physical toll of the sport. A source cited by Us Weekly in October 2022 claimed Gisele issued an ultimatum: choose family or football, or she would leave.
Gisele’s concerns were not new. She had long expressed unease about the risks of Brady’s career, including his health. In a 2017 CBS This Morning interview, she revealed Brady had played through a concussion, raising fears about long-term consequences. Additionally, Gisele had sacrificed much for Brady’s career, moving to Boston and later Tampa to support him while prioritizing their children’s upbringing. In a 2022 Elle interview, she spoke of her desire to pursue her own ambitions after years of focusing on Brady’s dreams, hinting at a growing disconnect.
Brady’s un-retirement was framed as the tipping point. Reports described heated arguments and Gisele’s absence from Brady’s games in the 2022 season, a stark contrast to her previous role as his steadfast supporter. Yet, in a 2023 Vanity Fair interview, Gisele pushed back against the narrative that football alone caused their split, calling it “very hurtful” and “the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.” She emphasized that their issues were more complex, rooted in evolving personal goals and desires. This suggests that while football was a factor, it was not the sole driver of their divorce.
The “Sex Ritual” Claim: Sensationalism or Substance?
Among the more sensational reports surrounding the divorce was a claim by Radar that Brady’s pre-game abstinence from sex, part of his rigorous preparation to extend his NFL career, “froze” their marriage. In an interview on the Armchair Expert podcast, when asked by host Dax Shepard if he made love to his wife on game day, Brady nervously replied, “That’s probably off the table,” adding that it wasn’t part of his pre-game routine. Radar alleged that Gisele, described as a “Brazilian supermodel with a high sex drive,” was deeply upset by these comments and felt Brady had fallen out of love with her. A source claimed she viewed intimacy as a vital part of their relationship and was hurt by Brady’s public dismissal of it.
This narrative, however, raises questions about credibility and context. The claim hinges on a single podcast comment, which Brady delivered with humor, and an anonymous source’s interpretation of Gisele’s feelings. There’s no direct evidence from Gisele herself confirming that this was a significant issue. Moreover, the framing of Gisele’s supposed “high sex drive” leans heavily on stereotypes about Brazilian women and supermodels, which risks oversimplifying a complex relationship. The story gained traction in tabloids but lacks corroboration from more reputable outlets, suggesting it may have been amplified for clickbait rather than grounded in fact.
Critically, Brady’s commitment to a disciplined lifestyle is well-documented. His TB12 method, which includes strict diet, exercise, and recovery protocols, was designed to maximize performance and longevity. Abstaining from certain activities, including intimacy, before games is not uncommon among athletes who prioritize mental and physical focus. If this was indeed a point of contention, it likely reflected broader issues of mismatched priorities rather than a singular “sex ritual” breaking their marriage.
Gisele’s Holistic Rituals: Witchcraft or Wellness?
Another layer of intrigue came from reports about Gisele’s spiritual practices, which some outlets labeled as “witchy” or tied to holistic rituals. In October 2022, Page Six reported that Gisele was seen with a holistic healer in Miami, burning sage and performing a prayer, interpreted as a sign of her moving on from Brady. Brady himself had previously spoken about Gisele’s rituals, describing in a 2019 interview how she used crystals, altars, and homemade tinctures to support his career. He recounted her predicting Super Bowl outcomes and jokingly calling herself a “good witch” after the Patriots’ 2019 win.
TikTok communities, particularly “WitchTok,” seized on these reports, speculating that Gisele was “taking her energy back” from Brady amid their divorce. They pointed to her history of using rituals for protection and healing, suggesting she felt betrayed by Brady’s broken promise to retire. These claims, while colorful, often veered into exaggeration, with some portraying Gisele as a mystical figure wielding supernatural influence over Brady’s success. In reality, her practices align with common holistic and New Age traditions, such as meditation, yoga, and energy work, which she has openly discussed as part of her wellness routine.
Rather than evidence of occult activity, Gisele’s rituals likely reflect her Brazilian cultural background and personal approach to coping with stress. In a 2024 WSJ. Magazine interview, she described her morning routine, which includes meditation, stretching, and drinking lemon water with Celtic salt, as a way to find peace post-divorce. These practices, far from being scandalous, are mainstream in wellness circles. The media’s focus on them as “strange” or “witchy” reveals more about sensationalist tendencies than about the actual dynamics of her marriage.
Other Speculations: Infidelity, Finances, and Cryptic Quotes
Beyond football and rituals, other theories emerged. Some speculated about infidelity, with rumors linking Gisele to her jiu-jitsu instructor, Joaquim Valente, before the divorce. Gisele firmly denied these claims in a 2024 New York Times interview, calling them lies and highlighting the unfair scrutiny women face when leaving relationships. She confirmed her relationship with Valente began in 2023, after the divorce. Brady, meanwhile, was linked to models like Irina Shayk, but no evidence suggests infidelity played a role in their split.
A more outlandish theory, posted by TikTok user “culturework,” suggested the divorce was a strategic move to protect their wealth after the FTX cryptocurrency crash, in which Brady and Bündchen were investors. This theory, while detailed, relies on speculative leaps and lacks substantiation from credible sources.
Gisele’s cryptic social media posts also fueled speculation. In 2022, she shared a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote about success and betrayal, interpreted by some as a jab at Brady. In 2024, she posted a quote about hidden pains and resilience, hinting at deeper personal struggles. These posts, while evocative, are open to interpretation and don’t definitively point to specific causes.
The Bigger Picture: Growing Apart
At its core, the Brady-Bündchen divorce seems less about sensational “sex rituals” or witchcraft and more about two people whose paths diverged. Gisele’s 2023 Vanity Fair comments emphasized that they “wanted different things,” a sentiment echoed in her 2024 ABC News interview, where she described the divorce as the “death of a dream” but a necessary transition. Brady, in his Instagram statement, acknowledged they had “grown apart,” expressing gratitude for their time together.
Their challenges were compounded by the pressures of fame, co-parenting, and balancing individual aspirations. Gisele, at 42, was eager to reclaim her own purpose, while Brady, at 45, remained tethered to football. The divorce was finalized amicably on October 28, 2022, with joint custody of their children and a confidential settlement. Since then, both have moved forward—Gisele with her wellness ventures and new relationship, and Brady with his post-NFL career, including broadcasting and co-parenting.
Critical Reflection: Media vs. Reality
The media’s obsession with Brady and Bündchen’s divorce highlights a broader tendency to sensationalize celebrity breakups. The “sex ritual” story, while attention-grabbing, lacks depth and relies on unverified sources. Similarly, portraying Gisele’s holistic practices as witchcraft plays into stereotypes about spirituality, ignoring their cultural and personal significance. The focus on Brady’s football decision, while grounded, oversimplifies a relationship that evolved over 16 years.
What emerges from credible accounts is a story of two people navigating the universal challenges of marriage—balancing career, family, and personal growth—under an unrelenting spotlight. The divorce was not the result of one dramatic event but a culmination of shifts in priorities, amplified by external pressures. As Gisele said in 2024, “I’m living my truth, and I’m not apologizing for it.”
Conclusion
Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen’s divorce captivated the public, fueled by reports of football conflicts, spiritual rituals, and salacious rumors. While Brady’s un-retirement and Gisele’s holistic practices played roles, the truth is likely more mundane: a couple growing apart after years of shared success and sacrifice. The “sex ritual” narrative, though intriguing, appears to be a media exaggeration, and Gisele’s rituals reflect personal coping mechanisms rather than mystical influence. As they co-parent and pursue new chapters, their story serves as a reminder that even the most glamorous relationships are human, complex, and subject to change