Tom Brady, Gisele Bündchen divorce after 13 years of marriage

NFL star Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bündchen have finalized their divorce after 13 years of marriage, with both announcing the news in statements posted to social media on Friday morning.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, 45, wrote in his statement that he and Bündchen, 42, arrived at their decision "amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together." He added that they would continue to work together as parents.

Bündchen said in a statement posted to Instagram, "The decision to end a marriage is never easy but we have grown apart and while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always."

Messages left by USA TODAY Sports for Brady and Bündchen's representatives had not been returned Friday morning.

Brady and Bündchen tied the knot in February 2009 during a small ceremony in Santa Monica, California, after two years of dating. They share two children: Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, 9. Brady also has son John, 15, from a previous relationship with actress Bridget Moynihan. Bündchen said she refers to John as her "bonus child."

READ MORE: A timeline of Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen's relationship

Here's a look at how their relationship started:

Who are Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen?

Brady and Bündchen are considered the greatest in their respective fields.

Brady played 20 seasons for the New England Patriots, where he won six Super Bowls and three MVP honors. He joined Tampa Bay in 2020 and led the Buccaneers to its first championship in 18 years during his first season, marking his seventh Super Bowl win. The 5-time Super Bowl MVP and 15-time Pro Bowler briefly retired in February but decided to return for a 23rd NFL season in March.

Bündchen, a Victoria's Secret Angel from 1999 until 2006, is one of the most influential supermodels in the world. In 2012, she topped Forbes' list of highest paid models. Bündchen has since dived into philanthropy and has championed environmental causes.

How did Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen meet?

Brady and Bündchen met on a blind date in 2006, shortly after Brady split with Moynihan, who found out she was later pregnant. Bündchen had ended a five-year relationship with actor Leonardo DiCaprio in 2005.

"This friend told me he knew a girl version of me," Brady recalled to Detail in 2009.

In her 2018 book "Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life," Bündchen said Brady "is someone you can count on. It's a quality I hadn't experienced in any of my other romantic relationships. I love my husband – and most of all, I trust him. With Tom, who provides our family with a stable foundation, I'm able to create a home."

Why are Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen getting a divorce?

Rumors about their relationship circulated in August after Brady missed 11 days of training camp to deal with personal matters. "I'm 45 years old, man. There's a lot of (expletive) going on. You just got to figure out life the best you can," Brady said.

Although Bündchen declined to comment on the speculation, she told Elle Magazine in a September cover story that she would like Brady to "be more present."

"I’ve done my part, which is (to) be there for (Brady). I moved to Boston, and I focused on creating a cocoon and a loving environment for my children to grow up in and to be there supporting him and his dreams. Seeing my children succeed and become the beautiful little humans that they are, seeing him succeed, and being fulfilled in his career — it makes me happy. At this point in my life, I feel like I’ve done a good job on that."

But Bündchen said she has "concerns" about Brady continuing his career: "This is a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present. I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again."

In recent years, Brady has spoken about the challenges of balancing a professional football career and trying to spend time with family. In 2020, Brady told Howard Stern that he had to "check myself" because Bündchen "didn't feel I was doing my part for the family."

"She felt like I would play football all season and she would take care of the house. And all of a sudden the season would end and I'd be like, 'Great, let me get into all my business activities and football training," he said. "She wasn't satisfied with our marriage."

Following his Super Bowl LV win with the Bucs in 2021, Brady shared on "Late, Late Show With James Corden" that Bündchen asked him, "What more do you have to prove?'"

Contributing: Chris Bumbaca

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tom Brady, Gisele Bündchen divorce after 13 years of marriage