Brady: Focus on kids, work after ‘amicable’ divorce

TAMPA, Fla. — Speaking for the first time since his divorce from Gisele Bundchen was finalized last week, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady said on his “Let’s Go!” podcast Monday night that the split was “amicable” and his focus is on his children and winning football games.

“I think there’s a lot of professionals in life that go through things that they deal with at work and they deal with at home,” Brady said. “And obviously the good news is that it’s a very amicable situation and I’m really focused on two things — taking care of my family and certainly my children, and secondly, doing the best job I can to win football games.

“So that’s what professionals do. You focus at work when it’s time to work, and then when you come home you focus on the priorities that are at home. And all you can do is the best you can do, and that’s what I’ll just continue to do as long as I’m working, as long as I’m being a dad.”

Brady and Bundchen, who were married for 13 years, share joint custody of two children, Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, 9. Brady said they spent the weekend in Tampa, which included a visit to the movies. They also volunteered with Operation BBQ Relief, assembling and delivering food to families affected by Hurricane Ian in Englewood and North Port.

Brady also has a 15-year-old son, Jack, with actor Bridget Moynahan. They live in New York.

The 45-year-old signal-caller acknowledged the challenges of not only compartmentalizing things, but having private matters of his life play out in the public eye while his team is struggling to climb out of a 3-5 hole.

“I think that’s what being a professional is. So I’ve dealt with a lot of challenging situations on and off the field over 23 years, and a lot of it does play out in front of a lot of people,” Brady said. “So I think the interesting thing for, you know, a football player, an athlete in general is, you’re out there — I always say we’re not actors, even though we’re on TV — that is our real self out there and we’re trying to do our best.

“That’s how people really have gotten to know me over the years, by being on TV. And that is an authentic self that’s out there to compete with my teammates every day. And you’re giving all you can to the team and you know, everyone’s going through different things. We all have our unique challenges in life and we’re all humans and we do the best we can do.”

Brady reaffirmed the importance of family in his life and being present in his children’s lives, and also in living a life he can be proud of.

“I have incredible parents that have always taught me the right way to do things. And I want to be a great father to my children and always try to do things the right way as well. And to deal with things that are in your life, that have challenges — you want to deal with them in the best possible way. So I want to always be able to hold my head high on and off the field, and I’m going to try to continue to do that for as long as I’m here.”