Tom Brady’s Ex, Bridget Moynahan, Opens Up About Their Past

Tom Brady is often regarded as the best quarterback of all time, and he achieved a level of celebrity from his earliest days of playing in the NFL. The fact that he was married to the biggest model of all time sure didn’t hurt either. However, before Tom was married to Gisele, he was linked to actress Bridget Moynahan. After their relationship ended, he began a relationship with Gisele, but Moynahan would soon call him with some news that would change his life for good. Years later, Moynahan speaks out about their relationship.

Running In The Same Circles

You might recognize Bridget Moynahan from several roles. She is best known for playing Erin Reagan on Blue Bloods, as well as Natasha on Sex and the City and its sequel series And Just Like That. Early on, she starred in the film Coyote Ugly. As her fame began to grow, she met an NFL quarterback that would change her life.

An Immediate Spark

Tom and Bridget instantly hit it off when they met in 2004. They were both at a career high, and it seemed like nothing would stand in their way. However, the couple announced their split in 2006, surprising many fans. However, they had no idea their story was not over.

A Blind Date

After Brady and Moynahan broke up, he was set up on a blind date. It’s not every day that you get set up on a blind date with the most sought after supermodel in the world. Things could be a lot worse.

Before Their Relationship

Way before the two even met, Gisele was asked about Tom in an interview with the Boston Herald. In response to what she thinks about him, she said: “He’s cute, but if he has a girlfriend, he’s gay to me.” Gisele was very clear about not trying to get involved with somebody who was already in a relationship.

Her Own Breakup

Gisele was coming off of her own breakup. She had been dating actor Leonardo DiCaprio for 6 years before the two ended their relationship. In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, Gisele said that her friends kept setting her up blind dates, but since none of them went well, she was ready to give up. She agreed to go on one more blind date, and it would change her life.

Low Expectations

Gisele went in with low expectations because all of her previous blind dates had gone so poorly. She told Jimmy Fallon in the same interview that she knew Tom intrigued her because she liked looking into his “sweet eyes.” She knew that they would be together after that first date, and Brady felt the same way.

A Real-Life Fairytale

From the start, the two were inseparable and the relationship went so well that it felt almost like a fairytale. They tried to keep the relationship under wraps for a bit, but considering they were two of the most famous people in the world, that proved to be difficult. The news was bound to get out. The two had no idea that they were about to receive a phone call that would change their lives.

The Call

Tom and Gisele were blissfully happy in their relationship when he received an unexpected call from his ex-girlfriend, Bridget. What was it regarding? Well, she was pregnant, and it was his baby. In an instant, everything changed, especially because she told him she was keeping the baby. How was he going to tell Gisele?

Hard To Digest

This life-changing phone call came when Tom and Gisele had only been together for two months, so it’s understandable that Gisele felt blindsided by the news. What made things worse was the fact that somehow this news leaked to the press, and their dilemma was thrown into the spotlight. She knew that she still wanted to be with Tom, so she knew that they had to just figure things out.

She Cried After Coming Home

In August 2007, Bridget gave birth to her son with Tom. They named him John “Jack” Edward Thomas Moynahan. Bridget realized that she was now a single mother, and upon returning home from the hospital, she cried. She wanted a partner to raise her son with, but she knew that Tom was not going to be the one in that role.

Overstepping Boundaries

In 2009, Tom and Gisele got married, which meant that Jack officially had a step mother. While speaking with Vanity Fair, she said: “I understand that [Jack] has a mom, and I respect that, but to me, it’s not like because somebody else delivered him, that’s not my child.” Following her remarks, rumors began to swirl that there was some tension between Gisele and Bridget.

Her “Bonus Child”

These rumors continued to circulate, with people saying that there must be jealousy between the two women. In an interview, Gisele addressed these rumors head on and said that she was so happy Jack was in their lives. She said that she loves him and that he is her “bonus child.”

Shutting Down Rumors

Bridget has refused to even address these rumors for years, but at a certain point she had felt that it was enough. In a public statement, she shared that she is in regular contact with both Tom and Gisele, and that “My son has two loving parents and an extended family, whether it’s cousins or stepmothers or boyfriends. My son is surrounded by love.”

An Extended Family

In an interview with People, Bridget also said: “Tom and I made a decision to raise a child together, and we both found partners that not only supported us in raising that child but also loved our child as if he was their own. I don’t think you can ask for more than that. My son is surrounded by love and grandparents that go on forever, and it’s all good.”

Treated Equally

When it comes to his kids, Tom loves and treats them all equally. Jack is never excluded, and when your dad is a professional star NFL player, that means you get to enjoy some amazing perks. All three of his kids, Jack Vivian, and Benjamin, all sit together in order to cheer on their dad from the sidelines. However, Bridget did not attend these games.

The Leaked Emails

In 2015, Brady was involved in a scandal that took over his life for an entire year. The “Deflategate” scandal reached a point where his emails were leaked online, and some of these included messages between him and Bridget. Many were pleasantly surprised to see how cordial and friendly these messages were, and also didn’t cross the line into too friendly either. The emails showed proof of great co-parenting between the exes.

Co-Parenting Successfully

In one of the email exchanges, Bridget emailed Tom: “Isn’t it cool that Jack got a reading award!? He gets to wear a reading star pin now too. So proud.” Tom’s response read: “He is such a smart boy. And he is a hard worker. I’m so proud of him.”

Psychologists Impressed

Rachel Sussman, psychotherapist and author of The Breakup Bible, said that their email messages were a perfect example of how exes should co-parent. Sussman said: “Just because a relationship ends, that doesn’t mean you have to spend the rest of your life being nasty to your ex.”

Sharing Accomplishments

Not only do Tom, Gisele, and Bridget all get along, they also share in and are proud of Jack’s accomplishments. According to Amy Morin, who is a psychotherapist and the author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do: “Instead of keeping secrets or making it Jack’s responsibility to tell the other parent what’s going on, they’re able to talk about his accomplishments freely.”

Three’s A Crowd?

While there is a written record of civility between the three, can the same be said for when Tom, Gisele, and Bridget face one another in person? It is just as polite, or do things get tense when they are all meeting face to face?

Just The Same

Sources close to Tom, Gisele, and Bridget have shared that the three are just as friendly and cordial in person as they are in the emails. It’s clear that they all just want Jack to be surrounded by a loving support system and try to make the best of their unconventional situation. There are even times when all three parents spend time with all three of Tom’s kids together.

Bridget Moves On

In 2015, Bridget married New York City businessman Andrew Frankel. Though she was doing just fine as a single mother, she was glad to have a partner to share life with once again. Frankel has three sons from a previous relationship, so Jack now has three more brothers.

Great Role Models

When Tom is asked about how he manages to be a good parents to his kids, he always credits his parents for being the best role models possible for him. He gives them all the credit for showing him how to build a loving and strong family.

Brady The Dad

Brady’s teammates always tease him about being the stereotypical all-American dad. He dresses in style only because of his proximity to the fashion world thanks to Gisele, he never knows what music is cool, and he always makes silly dad jokes. However, it is abundantly clear that his kids mean the world to him and that he is happy to have them there to cheer him on during the games.

NFL Superstar Dad

Being an NFL superstar does mean that Brady spends a big part of the year away from his kids during football season. However, it also means that they can come to the games and cheer him on from the sidelines and watch their dad be a superstar. Brady always makes sure that Jack is included.

Tom Brady’s Net Worth

Being one of the most famous football players of all time means that your net worth will match this level of fame. Tom Brady’s estimated net worth comes out to about $200 million. After 20 years with the New England Patriots, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A 2-year contract with the Bucs was worth $50 million with another $9 million potential in incentive bonuses. He also earns millions from his various endorsement deals.

Gisele Bundchen’s Net Worth

Gisele has consistently been one of the top paid models in the world since 2004. For years, she topped that list, but has recently been overtaken by Kendall Jenner. Thanks to her successful modeling career, endorsement deals, and acting jobs, Gisele has a whopping estimated net worth of $400 million.

Tom Announces Retirement

On February 1st, 2022, Tom Brady announced that he was retiring from the NFL after 22 seasons. He said that he wanted to spend more time with his family, and in a podcast he said:  “My wife is my biggest supporter. It pains her to see me get hit out there. She deserves what she needs from me as a husband and my kids deserve what they need from me as a dad.”

His Un-Retirement

However, just six weeks after this announcement, Brady came back with another shocking announcement, saying:  “These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG.” Gisele posted a supportive comment on the post that read: “Here we go again! Let’s go lovvvey! Let’s go Bucs!”

Tricky To Raise Them Right

In an episode of Spotify’s DRIVE podcast, Brady opened up about raising kids that are privileged is “probably the hardest thing” to do, especially since both he and Gisele came from humble beginnings. He said: “We have people that clean for us. We have people that make our food. We have people that drive us to the airport if we need that … we get off a plane and there’s people waiting there for us and we get ushered in. That’s my kids’ reality which is the hard part to say, guys, this is not the way reality really is … what can we do about that? I think we can try to create experiences that are more along the lines of what most kids go through even though they will still have experiences that a lot of kids never do have.”

His Long Absence

People began that there seemed to be trouble in paradise when Brady took an 11-day absence from Bucs training for “personal reasons,” continuing by saying that he’s “45 years old…there’s a lot…going on.” He and Gisele were seen separately spending time with their kids in very different parts of the country, she in Florida and he in New York.

Their Rough Patch

Soon after, sources reportedly told People magazine that Brady’s un-retirement had caused a lot of tension between the two of them. The source said: “There’s a lot of tension. She was so happy when he announced his retirement, and she wasn’t thrilled at all when he went back on that. They’re hitting a rough patch. But I know they’re trying, or at least he’s trying, to figure it out and make it work. He wants to get through this and for things to get better.”

Skipping But Supporting

When Brady returned to the field for the first time since announcing his retirement and un-retirement, Gisele did not attend the game, but she still tweeter out a supportive message that said: “Let’s go @TomBrady ! Let’s go Bucs !”

Sharing Her Concerns

Gisele herself opened up in an interview with Elle magazine, sharing her concerns about Brady’s return to the NFL. She said: “Obviously, I have my concerns — this is a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present,” she said. “I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again. But ultimately, I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for [them]. He needs to follow his joy, too. We have to think about what we’re doing, how moments that were really shaping who they are as people. I feel very fulfilled in that way, as a mother and as a wife. I’ve done my part, which is [to] be there for [Tom]. “I moved to Boston, and I focused on creating a cocoon and a loving environment for my children to grow up in and to be there supporting him and his dreams.”

What It Would Take

A source that is close to the couple shared that his season back would be “his last…if he wants to stay married.” The source continued: “She doesn’t hate that he’s playing football, but she sure hates the way he handled the retirement and coming back. He knows that, and he’s doing what he can do to smooth things over. He does know that this is his last season if he wants to stay married.”

Six Weeks Apart

In September 2022, it was reported that the couple had spent six weeks apart. The source shared: “Gisele is busy with her own life now, and has spent time away from Tom in Miami and New York.” Another source said: “No other husband gets six months off a year to be totally devoted to just their family. And during the season, yes he travels for games and trains, but he’s with his family a lot too.”

Hiring A Divorce Lawyer

By October 4th, 2022, it was reported by People magazine that Gisele had hired a divorce lawyer and that she had been speaking to the lawyer for weeks. In response, a source shared that Brady was “trying to figure out what to do,” and began looking for an attorney as well. It was reported that by the next day, Brady had hired a divorce lawyer as well.

He Felt Hurt

According to sources close to Brady, he was quite hurt during the whole ordeal. The source said: “It’s pretty obvious that he’s hurting.He feels very hurt by her. She is the one steering the divorce. She is playing offense and he is playing defense. He wants to protect himself, protect his interests, but he’s only starting to go the legal route in his defense from her. He doesn’t want this to be ugly, he doesn’t want to fight. If the divorce is happening — and it seems like it is — he wants it to go as smoothly as possible.” The source also said that “[The problems] are 10 years old. This has been going on forever. This is nothing new to either of them.”

Broken Beyond Repair

On October 7th, 2022 a source shared with People that Gisele “is done” trying to make the marriage work, and that “she was upset about it for a long time and it’s still difficult, but she feels like she needs to move on. She doesn’t believe that her marriage can be repaired.”

The Official Announcement

On October 28th, 2022, the couple the petition for the dissolution of their marriage was finalized, and they both posted statements on social media. Brady shared: “In recent days, my wife and I finalized our divorce from one another after 13 years of marriage. We arrived at this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together…”of course, painful and difficult, like it is for many people who go through the same thing every day around the world. However we wish only the best for each other as we pursue new chapters in our lives that are yet to be written.”