"I knew more than the referees" - Gisele Bundchen reveals how Tom Brady made her love the NFL
Tom Brady could have realistically played until the age of 50. Instead, he decided to step away from the game he loves to spend more time with his family. Brady, his wife Gisele Bundchen, and their children can now relax on Sundays every single fall.
Brady officially announced his retirement on Tuesday after a week of rumors and leaks. Gisele jumped in as well to offer her love and support for her husband in a long Instagram post.
In a lengthy statement, the supermodel also mentioned how she felt she knew more than NFL referees. She wrote:
"What a ride @tombrady! So many memories! When I met you over 15 years ago, I didn’t know the first thing about football. But cheering for you and seeing you do what you love most made me learn about this wonderful game to the point that I seriously believed I knew more than the referees! We always had a special champions playlist for every drive on our way to the game. As a family, we always prayed for you, celebrated and supported you in every game, cheered every win and suffered with every loss."
It's clear how much family means to both Brady and his wife. Him retiring now allows them all to experience some sense of normalcy after such a long and successful time in the spotlight.
Gisele honors her husband Tom Brady
Her post went on to offer more praise and love to the former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers star.
#ThankYouTom (via @insidetheNFL)At least now Gisele and the kids will be happy that Tom will spend his time with the family full time now. I admire that this was the reason for retiring. Respect that. Wonderful guy; class act! #ForeverNE. twitter.com/nfl/status/148…
"I’m so proud of you, and of everything you have had to overcome physically and emotionally over the years. I am in awe of your dedication, and of everything you have achieved. You love what you do, and you leave behind a legacy that is a beautiful example for future generations. You are the most dedicated, focused and mentally tough person I have ever met. You never once complained over the years about all the bruises and aches and pains. You just kept focusing on your goal to go out there and be the best leader there was to all your teammates."
The fascinating thing about their relationship is that she was not exactly a football fan when they met. She didn't care much for the NFL, but seemingly learned to love it once she fell in love with Brady.
"I know how excited you are about the next chapter of your life. Watching you work so hard in your football career and seeing the dedication you are now putting into all your new endeavors is incredibly inspiring. There is nothing you can’t achieve. I have always been here for you, you know that, and I’m as excited as you are for what the future holds! Words can’t really express how grateful I am to everyone who has been so supportive of my husband and our family for so many years. With all my love, Gisele."
Just a few weeks ago, Brady revealed how the brutal nature of the sport scares Gisele every single week. She can now rest easy. While it did bring the family fame and glory, the physicality may have become too much for him at the age of 44.
The legendary quarterback did it all in the NFL and now gets a second act as a full-time dad and husband.