Tom Brady shared a cryptic quote on his social media one day after Gisele Bündchen's Vanity Fair interview was published, and the post is raising plenty of eyebrows.
Brady posted a passage about "the betrayal of false friends" from American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, following comments made by his ex-wife about their divorce. It's unclear who or what exactly he was referring to, but Brady doesn't typically quote authors on his IG.
The former NFL player shared the poem on his Instagram story on Thursday.
"What is success? To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate the beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!"
A screenshot of Tom Brady's Instagram story on March 23, 2023.@tombrady | Instagram
While it's unclear if Brady shared the quote as a reaction to Bündchen's interview many people may assume it is, based on the timing.
On Wednesday, the Brazilian model broke her silence on the former couple's divorce, which they announced in October 2022 after 13 years of marriage.
In the Vanity Fair interview, Bündchen slammed the rumours that she made Brady choose between their marriage and his NFL career.
The 42-year-old model called those stories "very hurtful" and "the craziest thing I've ever heard."
“What’s been said is one piece of a much bigger puzzle,” Bündchen said. “It’s not so black and white.”
The model clarified that the reason for the separation was the two had simply drifted apart over the years.
“When I was 26 years old and he was 29 years old, we met, we wanted a family, we wanted things together. As time goes by, we realize that we just wanted different things, and now we have a choice to make," she told Vanity Fair.
While Bündchen didn't actually confirm if she's dating jiujitsu instructor Joaquim Valente, whom she had been photographed with in recent months, she did say she admired and trusted him.
She did, however, confirm that she is not seeing Brady's friend, real estate developer Jeffrey Soffer.
"I have zero relationship with him in any way," she stated about the claims.
In February, Brady retired from the NFL for the second time.
The football legend first retired back in February 2022, only to change his mind 40 days later and announce he was returning to play his final season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Then in February 2023, the 45-year-old former quarterback announced he was retiring "for good."
After his first retirement announcement, Fox executive chair and CEO Lachlan Murdoch said Brady would join Fox Sports as their lead analyst, according to a report by NPR.
However, Brady later clarified, saying that role wouldn't start until the fall of 2024.
Bündchen and Brady share two children, Benjamin, 13, and daughter Vivian, 10. Brady also has a 15-year-old son, Jack, with actress Bridget Moynahan.