While Tom Brady was preparing for yet another NFL season instead of retiring, his then-wife, supermodel Gisele Bündchen, was preparing to walk away from their marriage. The couple, who had been together for over a decade, officially parted ways in 2022. Given their high-profile status and lack of a prenuptial agreement, many assumed the divorce would cost the seven-time Super Bowl champion a fortune, but that wasn’t quite the case.
Advertisement
Brady reportedly saw the split coming from a mile away and preemptively moved many of his assets into his mother’s name to safeguard them. But was that really necessary?
After all, Gisele is the wealthier of the two. With a reported net worth of around $400 million, at least $100 million more than Brady’s, she easily outranks him financially. If anything, rather than protecting his assets from her, Brady could have theoretically pursued hers. But instead, both seemed to approach the separation amicably, each walking away with their own wealth intact.
On a recent episode of *The Bizkit* podcast, a panel of divorce lawyers dove into Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen’s high-profile split. One of the attorneys revealed how Brady took steps to protect his wealth ahead of the divorce, reportedly by moving assets into his mother’s name.
” He knew that the divorce was coming, and he spent the next year transferring assets into trusts into his mom’s name and when he pulled the pin, she’s like okay, I’m taking you to the cleaners for half. Sorry, Miss Bundchen, Mr. Brady owns nothing.”
Reflecting on that, another lawyer pointed out that it was actually Gisele, with her massive modeling salary, who primarily supported the household financially. In fact, she was fortunate Brady didn’t go after her assets, because he easily could have.
“I think she was actually the breadwinner. She made more money, which is crazy because he could have probably gone after her a little, but I think they were both financially set enough that it was just like, All right, you go your way, I’ll go mine.”
The conversation then shifted to broader topics like modern relationships, marriage dynamics, and the rising divorce rate. One attorney shared an eye-opening insight: the divorce rate is significantly higher among families of elite athletes. In many cases, these athletes come from broken homes.
According to the panel, the root of that pattern often lies in conflicting parenting philosophies. One parent, usually the father, dedicates all their time, energy, and money to grooming the child to become a professional athlete.
The other, typically the mother, tends to be more grounded, hesitant to pour resources into a dream that statistically has a very slim chance of becoming reality. That imbalance often creates friction, which eventually leads to separation.
So, does this mean Brady and Gisele’s kids are destined to become elite athletes? Not necessarily. While growing up in a high-performance environment can help, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for producing elite athletes. If only it were that simple.
Plenty of successful athletes come from intact, supportive families, just as many come from broken homes. The key isn’t the parents’ marital status; it’s how the child is raised. Whether together or apart, the most important thing any couple can do is focus on raising kind, driven, and resilient human beings. Athletic greatness, if it comes, is just a bonus.
