The Super Bowl champ has a constant reminder of his ex at his side.
Tom Brady is showing the world he's moving on, but not without a reminder of the life he once shared with his supermodel ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen. The retired NFL legend was recently spotted leaving a Miami gym cradling Fluffy, the pet dog he and Bündchen adopted together during their happier times as a married couple.
Brady, 47, looked every bit the gym-honed star, flaunting his muscular legs in athletic shorts paired with a snug blue hoodie and crisp white sneakers during the sighting. Fluffy, the rescue pup he and the fashion icon adopted in 2016, seemed content in his arms. The dog reportedly acts as a tangible link to their shared past despite their publicized split and divorce.
The adoption of Fluffy was a heartwarming chapter in their marriage. The adorable pup, rescued from Wags And Walks in Los Angeles, was just a day old when she was abandoned with her umbilical cord still attached. The organization's representatives once recalled how Bündchen publicly thanked them for bringing Fluffy into their lives.
Now, with Bündchen's life taking a dramatic turn, Fluffy serves as a reminder of the exes' meaningful time together. Sources close to Brady suggest that while he's embracing single life, certain developments have stung -- none more so than when Bündchen "blindsided" him over the announcement of her pregnancy with her new boyfriend.
As Brady appears to focus on his fitness and a new career as an NFL analyst, Bündchen, 44, is preparing to welcome her first child with Joaquim Valente, her 35-year-old jiu-jitsu instructor-turned-partner. Their romance, which began in the summer of 2023, came on the heels of her October 2022 divorce filing and eventual divorce finalization a year later.
"At first, everything stings -- her getting pregnant, her hanging out with Joaquim, her moving on," an insider shared. "But then he snaps out of it and remains busy, knows that his life is pretty good and to worry about things he can't control is a waste of time."
Hence, while Bündchen is eagerly anticipating her February due date, Brady has fully embraced his post-NFL player career and daddy duties to his three children: Benjamin, 15, and Vivian, 12, whom he shares with Bündchen, and Jack, 17, from his previous relationship with Bridget Moynahan.
The former New England Patriots star has been mostly throwing himself into his $375 million broadcasting contract with Fox, a ten-year deal that's helped him stay grounded in the face of personal problems. However, the work commitment has also affected his intentions of getting back into the dating game after his divorce.
"Tom would love to date more, but he is busy and very focused on his first year of being a commentator. It is easier to be single right now," said an insider to the Daily Mail.
Since the divorce, he has been linked to other models, Irina Shayk and Brooks Nader. But for whatever reason, he seems to be apprehensive about having another long-term commitment. In November, Brady hinted at having a hard time moving on when he subtly reminded Bündchen of the "commitment" they once shared.
In hindsight, holding onto Fluffy might be Brady's way of keeping a piece of what he once had with his ex-wife while stepping forward into what's next.