Gisele Bündchen couldn’t be more proud of her hubby, NFL pro Tom Brady, after Brady announced he was retiring from football.
The 41-year-old supermodel shared an emotional post to Instagram on Tuesday celebrating the Tampa Bay quarterback’s storied athletic career. “What a ride @tombrady!” Bündchen gushed next to a gallery packed with photos of the couple and their kids, along with pics of Brady and other athletes over the years.
“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 wrote.
“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,” she continued.
Bündchen went on to say she was in “awe” of the dedication that Brady, 44, widely considered the greatest quarterback in NFL history, showed to the game.
“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,” she wrote.
“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,” she added.
She concluded her message by telling the former New England Patriot how excited she was about his “next chapter.”
“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 wrote. “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!”
Bündchen added a note of thanks to fans for all the support they’ve shown her husband throughout his career. “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,” she wrote.
Bündchen’s post comes just hours after Brady officially announced he was retiring from football.
Brady shared the news in a lengthy Instagram post. “This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention,” he wrote, in part.
Brady leaves football after 22 seasons and a record seven Super Bowl titles. He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, winning six Super Bowls, and played his last two seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning a final Super Bowl ring in 2021.
“My playing career has been such a thrilling ride, and far beyond my imagination, and full of ups and downs,” wrote the athlete. “When you’re in it every day, you really don’t think about any kind of ending. As I sit here now, however, I think of all the great players and coaches I was privileged to play with and against the competition was fierce and deep, JUST HOW WE LIKE IT.
“But the friendships and relationships are just as fierce and deep. I will remember and cherish these memories and re-visit them often. I feel like the luckiest person in the world.”
Brady went on to thank his teammates and fans, among others — reserving a special note of gratitude for Bündchen, their children, Vivian, 9, and Ben, 12, and his oldest son, Jack, with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan.
“And lastly to my wife, Gisele, and my children Jack, Benny and Vivi. You are my inspiration,” wrote the proud husband and dad. “Our family is my greatest achievement. I always came off the field and home to the most loving and supportive wife who has done EVERYTHING for our family to allow me to focus on my career.
“Her selflessness allowed me to reach new heights professionally, and I am beyond words what you mean to me and our family.”
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