Gisele Bündchen reportedly told Tom Brady they were “not compatible” shortly before their 13-year marriage came to an end in 2022, according to a new book examining the retired NFL star’s career and personal life.

The claim comes from author Lars Anderson’s forthcoming book, Brady: An American Story and the Price of Greatness, which is set to be released on September 29. An excerpt obtained by the Daily Mail describes the breakdown of Brady and Bündchen’s relationship and the disagreements surrounding his decision to continue playing football.

According to a source close to Brady cited by Anderson, Bündchen, who has long been interested in astrology, eventually looked at their compatibility through the stars and told her husband they were no longer compatible.

Anderson writes that the moment marked a turning point in the marriage.

Bündchen reportedly wanted Brady to retire

The book claims that Brady’s commitment to football had become a growing source of tension between the couple.

Bündchen had reportedly been encouraging Brady to consider retirement for years, with Anderson pointing to the 2017 Super Bowl as one notable example.

After the New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons to win Brady’s sixth Super Bowl, Bündchen allegedly approached him on the field and asked whether it would be the right time for him to retire.

Later that same day, she reportedly raised the subject again.

Brady’s alleged response was that he was having too much fun and did not want to stop playing.

A few weeks later, the couple vacationed with Jay Feely, Brady’s former teammate at the University of Michigan. Anderson cites a previous interview in which Feely recalled that Bündchen wanted him to encourage Brady to retire as an act of leadership toward his family.

Feely said she was serious about the request, but instead told Brady that he should play for as long as he wanted.

A handwritten plea for more family time

The book also describes tensions that emerged after the Patriots lost the 2018 Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles.

According to Anderson, Bündchen wrote Brady a serious letter asking him to give more of himself to their family.

She wanted him to be more present when he was home rather than constantly checking his phone or mentally replaying football games. She also wanted more help with their children, more opportunities to sleep and more time to focus on her own career.

One of Brady’s former teammates reportedly told Anderson that Bündchen was already “a bigger international star” than her husband and had grown tired of having her life revolve around his football schedule.

Another friend of Brady’s, also a former football player, described how demanding the quarterback’s lifestyle could be for a spouse.

Brady reportedly woke early, spent much of his day focused on football, followed a strict diet and was often in bed by 9 p.m. His celebrity status also meant that ordinary outings could attract attention.

According to the book, that lifestyle may have become increasingly difficult for Bündchen.

Brady’s return to the NFL reportedly deepened the strain

Brady played for the Patriots from 2000 through 2019 before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.

After two seasons in Tampa Bay, he announced his retirement in February 2022. But his retirement lasted only briefly.

The following month, Brady announced that he would return to the NFL, saying that he had realized his place was still on the field rather than in the stands.

Anderson claims that while Bündchen publicly supported Brady throughout his career, she was unhappy with his decision to return and briefly left for Costa Rica.

The author cites conversations with Brady’s former coaches and teammates, who recalled that the quarterback appeared deeply affected during training camp after his decision to unretire.

According to those accounts, Brady lost weight, appeared distracted and even questioned whether returning to football had been the right decision.

The marriage ended months later

Brady and Bündchen ultimately announced their divorce on October 28, 2022.

In their statements, both emphasized that their children were their priority. The couple had two children together, Benjamin and Vivian.

Bündchen said at the time that they had “grown apart” and described the end of the marriage as difficult while expressing gratitude for the years they had shared and wishing Brady well.

The new book’s account presents Brady’s determination to continue his football career as a major factor in the deterioration of their relationship, while the couple’s representatives were not immediately available to Page Six for comment.

Where Brady and Bündchen are now

Bündchen has since moved on with Joaquim Valente, a jiu-jitsu instructor. The couple married in December 2025 and are parents to a young son.

Brady, meanwhile, has been linked to model Irina Shayk as well as internet personality Alix Earle.

The new account offers another look at the pressures surrounding one of the NFL’s most prominent marriages, particularly the difficult balance between Brady’s pursuit of an extraordinarily long football career and the family life Bündchen reportedly wanted him to prioritize.