Tom Brady Takes Swipe At Ex-Wife Gisele Bündchen Over Divorce In Letter About Being A 'Great Parent'

Tom Brady has taken a subtle dig at his ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen, as he reflects on their family dynamics and how his "dedication" to football showed his commitment to providing for their kids.

Bündchen was said to have advised Brady to retire from football, citing concerns for his health and the need for him to spend more time with her and their children.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen have since split, with the supermodel going on to welcome a child with her boyfriend Joaquim Valente.

Brady seemingly took a swipe at his supermodel ex-wife Bündchen while reflecting on their family life in a newsletter shared with fans.

The NFL legend tied the knot with the Brazilian-born beauty in 2009 but split in 2022 amid what seemed to be disagreement over Brady's retirement from football.

At the time, Bündchen repeatedly hinted that she was unhappy at how Brady focused on the game at the cost of their family, and this was seemingly made worse after he came out of retirement.

Brady has now shared that he saw his career as a major part of being a good father to his children, which is quite the opposite of how Bündchen saw it.

"I think part of being a great father is being a great example of doing what it takes to take care of your family," Brady wrote, per the Daily Mail. "I chose to do it by playing football."

He continued: "My dedication to the sport, the hours of practice, the moments when I was laser focused - those were times when I believe I was doing the best possible thing for my family and my kids, by prioritizing my profession and teaching, by example, what it takes to be really good at your job, what it takes to follow through on commitments, what it takes to be a great teammate; and showing them, also by example, that work is a big part of all of our lives."

While he was still active on the field, Brady often heaped praise on Bündchen for being a solid rock for their family.

The pair share two children: Benjamin and Vivian, while Brady has another son, Jack, from a previous relationship with Bridget Moynahan.

Now, in his letter, he seemingly teased that either of their individual efforts may not be the "only ways to be a great parent."

"Remember, your children are watching everything. They see what you do in every aspect of your life and how you do it," he said. "Reading bedtime stories and helping them with homework are not the only ways to be a great parent. And neither is winning Super Bowls or MVPs."

Brady added, "Being a great football player didn't make me a great dad, but how I became a great player certainly had an impact - from showing up day in and day out, to doing whatever it took to get better, be successful, be a role model, and to provide."

Brady finished up his letter by admonishing fans to give themselves more grace, as nobody is "perfect."

"You won't be perfect. Nobody is," he said. "You will fail and disappoint people along the way. But if you stay committed to your goals over time, even when your priorities shift (which they do at times), then you can be confident that you are living a life of integrity and purpose."

"Your actions reflect your priorities. That's what you need to live up to every day," he added.

Bündchen allegedly disliked Brady's continued participation in sports and reportedly advised him to retire the first time, as she feared for his health and wanted him to spend more time with the family.

"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 told Elle in September 2022. "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."

Since their split, Brady and Bündchen have faced some issues, especially when their marriage was put on blast during his Netflix roast last year. He has since described the show as his "f-ck up" as a parent after seeing the impact it had on his kids.

Speaking about the effect of the Netflix roast on his family, Brady appeared to express regret, noting how hard it was on his children.

"It was tough on my kids for sure," Brady said during an appearance on the "Impaulsive" podcast when asked if he regretted doing it. "You don't know what to expect, and I love laughing at myself; it felt like I was in the locker room. And the harder people go at me, I'll actually love it."

"If people make fun of you, then I know I'm good with them. And I don't take myself too seriously, but I do understand that for my kids, that was really hard," he continued.

Brady then added, "There are some things as a parent you f-ck up and you don't realize until after. We're not perfect parents. There's no perfect manual for it, and you have to evaluate yourself as a parent too, all the time."

Bündchen has since started a relationship with boyfriend Joaquim Valente and welcomed her first child with him earlier this year.