When Tom Brady announced his retirement from the NFL back in February fans were in shock, but his devoted wife, Gisele, was said to be overjoyed.
They issued an emotional statement, in which he said he was going to "leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes". However, just over one month later, Tom revealed he'd had a change of heart and announced his return to football.
Now, after stepping away from his NFL team the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to "personal things" he "needs to handle" we look back at a conversation he had about the issue of his retirement last year.
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He confessed that it's a "difficult" situation with his wife and he wasn't sure they'd ever agree on it.
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The father-of-three acknowledged that Gisele, a former supermodel, put her career on hold for him to raise their children.
"That’s an issue, and it’s a very difficult issue to reconcile without just saying, ‘Hey, it’s time to retire,'" the 45-year-old said on his podcast Let's Go, adding: "And I think there’s, you know, we’re coming to the end here too, so I don’t want to miss any of the kids’ stuff."
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"I think my wife has, you know, held down the house for a long time now," he continued, "and I think there’s things that she wants to accomplish."
"You know, she hasn’t worked as much in the last 10, 12 years just raising our family and kind of committing to being in a life in Boston and then moving to Florida."
Tom is dad to three children
He won the Bucs a Super Bowl ring - his seventh - in his first season with the team at the age of 43. He later revealed that Gisele whispered in his ear after: "What more do you have to prove?"
"I just gave her a big hug, I was trying to figure out a way to change the subject really quick," the father-of-three told James Corden.
Gisele regularly gushes over her husband on social media
Tom and Gisele have been married since 2009 and celebrated their anniversary back in February by giving each other a touching shoutout on social media.
The NFL player posted a beautiful photo of his family, including his children, on Instagram, captioning it: "Happy anniversary!! I couldn’t have imagined a better wife and partner than you @gisele when I said 'I do' 12 years ago.
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"I have had so much fun, happiness and joy seeing our family grow! You are the sweetest, most loving and determined person I know.
Gisele shares two children with Tom
"You always do what’s right, and you are the best example for our kids of what a supportive loving partner is! How blessed am I?? Te amo."
At the time of his retirement, Gisele released a statement in which she said: "What a ride my love! 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!"
She went on to call Tom "the most dedicated, focused and mentally tough person I have ever met" before speaking about his future.
"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," she said, adding: "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!"
They are parents to son Benjamin, 12, and nine-year-old Vivian, and Tom is a father to 15-year-old Jack.
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