After the quarterback announced his retirement from the NFL, his wife wrote a special tribute in his honor.
Gisele Bündchen is showing Tom Brady love after he announced his retirement.
The 44-year-old quarterback announced on Tuesday that he was officially hanging up his football jersey after 22 years in the NFL. His announcement came after recent reports and speculation that he was retiring. With many friends, fans and celebs paying tribute to the athlete, his wife shared one of the most heartfelt retirement tributes shortly after.
"What a ride @tombrady! So many memories! When I met you over 15 years ago, I didn’t know the first thing about football," the supermodel began. "But cheering for you and seeing you do what you love most made me learn about this wonderful game to the point that I seriously believed I knew more than the referees!"
Bündchen, who also shared a slideshow of photos of their family cheering Brady on, wrote how they would always have a "special champions playlist for every drive on our way to the game." The model -- who shares son Benjamin, 12, and daughter Vivian, 9, with the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and New England Patriot -- added that as a family they always prayed for him, celebrated and supported him in every game. "Cheered every win and suffered with every loss."
She continued by expressing how proud she is of her husband "and of everything you have had to overcome physically and emotionally over the years. I am in awe of your dedication, and of everything you have achieved. You love what you do, and you leave behind a legacy that is a beautiful example for future generations."
Writing that Brady is the most "dedicated, focused and mentally tough person" she has ever met, Bündchen added, "You never once complained over the years about all the bruises and aches and pains. You just kept focusing on your goal to go out there and be the best leader there was to all your teammates."
She also noted that he's very excited about the next chapter of his life, and how it's been "incredibly inspiring" to see how hard he worked and how dedicated he was to the sport.
"There is nothing you can’t achieve. I have always been here for you, you know that, and I’m as excited as you are for what the future holds!" she wrote. "Words can’t really express how grateful I am to everyone who has been so supportive of my husband and our family for so many years. With all my love, Gisele."
Brady's retirement announcement came a day after he declined to confirm or deny the reports on SiriusXM podcast Let’s Go! with Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray. However, on Tuesday morning, he posted a lengthy statement sharing the news.
"This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention," Brady wrote in part. "I’ve done a lot of reflecting the past week and have asked myself difficult questions. And I am so proud of what we have achieved. My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100 percent of me, but right now, it's best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes."
His ex-wife, Bridget Moynahan, whom he shares 14-year-old son Jack with, also praised him and celebrated his long and successful career. For more on Brady's retirement, see below.
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