Legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady and trailblazing supermodel Gisele Bündchen are the definition of a power couple. With staggering levels of success in their respective fields, the pair are two of the most recognizable celebrities in the US and have a loving family together, as well as what amounts to a small fortune, derived from a variety of revenue streams.
Blind Love
They first met in 2006 as a result of a blind date set up by a mutual friend. At the time, Brady was going through a split with his then-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan who, it later transpired, was pregnant with Brady’s child.
By the time it was revealed Moynahan was pregnant, Brady and Bündchen had been dating for two months and it was a trying time for their fledgling relationship. However, they worked through it and John Edward Thomas Moynahan was brought into the world in August 2007.
In January 2009, after a couple of years together, Brady proposed to Bündchen at her apartment. Tabloids initially reported he popped the question on a private plane, however Bündchen later said he had called her pretending her apartment had flooded so that she would rush over, where he was waiting to ask her to be his wife.
Their engagement was a short one, as two weeks later they were married at a private ceremony in Santa Monica, California. It was an intimate affair with their close family and friends in attendance.
A few months later they held another ceremony in Costa Rica, where they invited their extended families for another close-knit event. In December that same year, they welcomed their first child together, Benjamin Rein. Their second child, Vivian Lake, arrived three years later.
Let’s talk about Tom…
Brady, of course, is best known for his historic 22-year career in the NFL, during which he’s won a record seven Super Bowls. He spent the majority of his career at the New England Patriots, but in 2020 moved to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a contract worth a reported $50m.
Brady signed an extension to his contract back in March and the Buccaneers will be found as one of the favorites to lift the Lombardi trophy with any major online betting site.
In total, Brady is valued at roughly $250m. Most of that comes from his NFL earnings, but he’s also earned plenty from endorsements, an impressive real estate portfolio and the founding of his wellness brand, TB12.
The new @Hertz EV line is the GOAT. #LetsGo pic.twitter.com/zHFuI00iSQ
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) October 26, 2021
(Tom Brady helps Hertz to promote their new electric vehicle line)
Bündchen secures the bag
However, it’s Bündchen who is worth more in the couple. The Brazilian of German descent is a legend in the modelling world and is also well known for her philanthropy work, and is worth a staggering $400m, bringing the Bradys to a total value of $650m.
Bündchen’s riches have mainly come from her modelling work, and from 2002 to 2017 she was the world’s highest paid model, despite retiring from Fashion Week runway shows in 2000 after signing a $25m contract with Victoria’s Secret.
She’s appeared on countless magazine covers and in 2014 became the spokeswoman for Chanel No. 5. Over the next two years from that point, she appeared in more commercials in her native Brazil than any other celebrity. She earns roughly $30m per year, most of which comes from endorsements.
Bündchen has also written a bestselling book titled Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life in 2018, which topped the New York Times bestselling list and was the bestselling book in Brazil for more than six months.
Brady and Bündchen recently signed a landmark deal as a couple which could add significant amounts to their already vast wealth. They’ve teamed up with cryptocurrency firm FTX and received an undefined equity stake in the company as part of the long-term deal.
Considering the recent boom in the crypto market, it’s likely the Bradys will benefit massively from this new deal.
Their business dealings have not all been plain sailing, though. In 2015, Brady was at the centre of ‘deflategate’, a controversy surrounding accusations that he was using under-inflated footballs during a game in the NFL playoffs. He was suspended for four games during the 2016 season as a result of the incident.
Bündchen has spoken about the difficulty of that time and how she vowed to stand by her husband, both in public and behind closed doors. At the time, she posted to social media about how she would “keep him ready” during the time off.
The Bradys are no regular celebrity couple. Each has carved out an indelible legacy in their respective industry and, as a pair, they are now signing new deals that will continue to build their enormous dynasty.