Tom Brady Was 'Blindsided' by Gisele Bündchen’s Romance With Joaquim Valente: Report

Tom Brady was reportedly “blindsided” by Gisele Bündchen’s romance with Joaquim Valente after the end of their 13-year marriage.

In an exclusive first look at Lars Anderson’s upcoming biography, Brady: An American Story and the Price of Greatness, the author details the painful collapse of Brady and Bündchen’s marriage and the events surrounding their eventual divorce.

While Bündchen has since moved on with Valente, an insider told Daily Mail that the renewed attention on her relationship with Brady has been emotionally difficult for her.

“As much as Tom and Gisele would probably love to leave the difficult parts of their past behind them, they are forever connected through their children - and that makes it impossible to completely escape the history of their relationship,” the insider said.

“Now, with new stories and details about their marriage and its demise resurfacing, Gisele is feeling the weight of it much more than Tom is," they added.

The source claimed the NFL legend has become better at tuning out the attention surrounding his personal life.

“He has moved on from the relationship and doesn't spend much time worrying about what people say because, in his mind, people are always going to talk,” the insider said, adding, “He's learned how to brush off the critics and the endless opinions that come with being Tom Brady.”

For the supermodel, however, the latest revelations reportedly hit much closer to home.

“Her biggest concern isn't really what people are saying about her - it's what her children will eventually read, hear or have thrown at them,” the source said.

Bündchen shares son Benjamin, 16, and daughter Vivian, 13, with Brady. The former quarterback also shares 19-year-old son Jack with actress Bridget Moynahan.

The 46-year-old has since started a new chapter with Valente, a jiu-jitsu trainer. The couple welcomed their first child together in early 2025 and tied the knot in December of that year.

The pair was recently spotted enjoying a relaxed bike ride near their property in Indian Creek, Miami, with their toddler appearing to be their 19-month-old son.

But even as Bündchen has built a life with the trainer, her former marriage continues to resurface publicly.

“She worries about how they will process all of this as they get older, and especially how Joaquim will feel when he sees his wife's past relationship constantly brought back into the spotlight,” the insider said.

“She never wants Joaquim to feel like he is playing second fiddle to Tom, or like he is somehow caught in the shadow of a relationship that ended years ago," they added.

Brady and Bündchen finalized their divorce in October 2022, ending their 13-year marriage. Their split came months after the 49-year-old athlete reversed his decision to retire from the NFL, returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just 40 days after announcing his retirement.

Now, according to the source, the runway star is trying to protect the life she has built since then.

“No matter how much she wants to move forward, Tom is still part of her life because of their kids, and every new story has the potential to stir up emotions she has worked hard to put behind her,” the insider said.