Tom Brady’s Divorce Turmoil Sparked Alarming Physical Decline During Final NFL Season

Tom Brady’s highly publicized separation from supermodel Gisele Bündchen profoundly impacted the future Hall of Fame quarterback, affecting him both psychologically and physically.

According to an excerpt from Lars Anderson’s upcoming book, “Brady: An American Story and the Price of Greatness,” a former Buccaneers coach revealed that the deteriorating marriage physically diminished Brady to the point that he appeared emaciated, resembling a cancer patient, in 2022.

The coach noted, “His cheekbones had freaking cheekbones.” Another added, “With all respect, he looked like a cancer patient with really good hair. He just seemed miserable, completely unlike the Tom we all admired. He was utterly stressed.”

Brady, now 49, and Bündchen, 46, began their relationship in 2006 and wed three years later as he entered his peak individual seasons with the New England Patriots.

The book details how the supermodel urged Brady to retire in 2017, though he declined, stating he had “too much run right now.” She subsequently penned a handwritten letter the following year, urging him to reconsider and emphasizing that their marriage was faltering and their children needed him more.

Despite attending marriage counseling, the couple remained together, and Brady departed the Patriots to join the Buccaneers for the 2020 season.

He guided Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl victory that season before exiting in the NFC Divisional Round the following year and initially deciding to retire.

However, that retirement lasted merely 40 days, as Brady chose to return for what would become his 23rd season.

Upon his return, the Buccaneers organization observed a drastically changed player. As Anderson noted, “nearly everyone in the building worried he was ill, maybe even battling a serious disease.” Teammates estimated he shed 20 pounds and had lost his characteristic vibrancy.

Former head coach Bruce Arians elaborated on the concerning physical changes, stating, “For Tom to lose that much weight, on his frame, it was a lot. It was very clear that the reason for the weight loss was the stress from the personal issues he was dealing with.”

Behind the scenes, the situation was deteriorating. Bündchen was so displeased by Brady’s decision to return that she flew to Costa Rica, leaving the quarterback to navigate his children Benny and Vivian’s first day of school by himself.

In August, Brady requested permission from Arians to leave training camp for an undisclosed period, as the couple needed to discuss matters in the Bahamas.

He informed then-quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen that he had to attend to some “personal things.”

An assistant coach recalled, “Tom didn’t know what the heck was going on. And we didn’t know if he was ever coming back.”

When Brady eventually returned, the unraveling of his marriage was impossible to ignore. Christensen told Anderson, “Tom was an empty shell of who he was when he got back. There was no joy. Everything was hard work.”

The couple ultimately finalized their divorce that October. The Buccaneers finished the season with an 8-9 record but managed to secure the AFC South division title. Brady’s final game ended in an unceremonious 31-14 home playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

The book further details how during training camp, center Ryan Jensen suffered a season-ending injury, which weighed heavily on Brady alongside his crumbling home life.

A Buccaneers staffer told Anderson, “It was pretty clear he was asking himself, ‘Why the f–k did I come back?’ I think that’s when he realized he’d made a horrible decision. He didn’t come back and risk adding more troubles to his marriage to get the s–t kicked out of him!”

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