Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen have not been publicly seen together in quite a while. And though they are normally affectionate with one another on social media, the couple is showing signs of friction online too.
With rumors swirling that both the supermodel and seven-time Super Bowl champion have hired divorce attorneys, their every move is being analyzed, from Bündchen's noticeable absence from his games to the fact that he has stopped mentioning her on his weekly podcast.
In the most recent episode of Brady's "Let's Go!" podcast, the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers discussed his current mental health and "things" he is presently dealing with as a man in his 40s.
"You wake up every day trying to do the best you can do, understanding that life has its stresses and to deal with them with a great support system and understanding and having some introspectiveness in your life where you can look at yourself and say, ‘Where do I need to commit my time and energy to?’" Brady, 45, said.
"And how can I lessen some of the stress and lessen the burden on me so that I can be good for people around me?
"There was a lot of things that I was going through when I was 20," Brady reflected. "There was a lot of things I was going through in my 30s. There’s things I’m going through in my 40s. And it's life. And you learn to grow up. And you learn to deal with life."
In his podcast, Brady made no mention of his wife. And, after his game this week, he posted a picture with his son Jack to his Instagram story that he called, "a perfect night," but Gisele and his other children were noticeably missing.
Brady and Bündchen have a 12-year-old son Benjamin and a 9-year-old daughter Vivian. They also co-parent his son, Jack, 15, with his ex-girlfriend, Bridget Moynihan.
SIGNS TOM BRADY AND GISELE BÜNDCHEN WERE HEADED FOR THE END ZONE
The A-list stars have a combined following of over 31 million people on Instagram, where they frequently share their adoration for one another with fans. But their social media habits have shifted significantly in the past three months.
Fox News Digital analyzed Brady's Instagram beginning Aug. 22, when both he and Bündchen posted for his son's 15th birthday. In the time since then, Brady has posted 23 times, but Bündchen only liked two of his posts, the last like being Aug. 28. That means Bündchen has liked her husband's posts only 8.7% of the time.
Comparatively, looking at the same time period a year prior, Brady posted 15 times to his Instagram, with his wife liking his posts 80% of the time.
Since Aug. 22, Gisele has posted only once. Brady liked that singular post. However, in 2021, the supermodel posted 10 times on Instagram, from Aug. 22 to Oct. 6, and Brady liked 80% of her posts.
So what does it all mean?
"Deciphering intent from someone’s lack of social media posting is like reading tea leaves. Still, the decision not to post sends a message," celebrity divorce attorney Chris Melcher shared with Fox News Digital.
"With so much interest in Tom and Gisele’s relationship, they may be taking a social media break to avoid the risk of sending mixed messages or escalating any conflict between them. It is more than just remaining out of public view. Going quiet on social media is recommended when settlement negotiations are underway, as one wrong post can spoil everything."
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Celebrity divorce attorney Sherene De Palma told Fox News Digital, "While ‘social media distancing’ is often thought of as a way to take a break from or protect oneself from the intensity of social media, in the context of divorce (or even just matrimonial strife), putting the brakes on gushing over your spouse on social media can be the equivalent of sleeping in the guest bedroom. It’s a social cold shoulder.
"A couple's sudden absence from social media could indicate they are busier with other more pressing endeavors like trying to save their marriage or to keep their upcoming breakup private for the sake of their family."
