Tom Brady says he feels ‘guilty’ when ‘attention’ is shifted towards him at his children’s events

‘When I’m out with my kids, I really want to be with them,’ former NFL star says

Tom Brady has spoken out about the guilt he’s felt when raising his three children in the spotlight.

The 46-year-old NFL alum opened up about his family during an episode of his Let’s Go! podcast, which aired on 27 December. Brady is the father of three, as he and his former wife of 13 years, Gisele Bündchen, share an 11-year-old daughter, Vivian, and a 13-year-old son, Benjamin. He also shares a 16-year-old son, John, with ex Bridget Moynahan.

Speaking with his podcast co-host, Jim Gray, and singer John Legend, Brady expressed how his children are his priority, even when he’s out in the public eye and being approached by fans.

“When I’m out with my kids, I really want to be with them,” he said during the recent Let’s Go! episode. “And I really make it clear to people, [like] ‘Sorry, I’m just out here enjoying time with my family.’”

However, according to Brady, he’s received more “attention” than his children when at their important events, which he has felt about.

“Whether I’m at a game for my son, and I love doing that, but, you know, a lot of times the attention gets shifted to us,” the former Patriots player said. “I don’t want to take away from their moments cause this is an important part of their life and their maturation.”

He also acknowledged that as his life continues to be publicised, he still tries to remind his children that “everything comes at a cost”. More specifically, he explained how he and his family have discussed some of the privileges they’ve had over the years.

“The reason we get to go on a lot of fun vacations and you guys go to schools and have people to help [is because] we have to deal with some things that are different than everyone else,” he recalled telling his children. “There’s no straight arrow for anyone in life. Everyone’s going to find different curves and turns and twists.”

His comments about his children come two months after he reflected on the last year of his life, following his split from Bündchen. During a previous episode of Let’s Go!, which aired in October, he opened up about owning up to his flaws and how that can be “hard” to do.

“We should all have self-awareness, it’s a hard trait to have. We’re in a culture where it’s hard to own up to things these days,” he said. “For someone like me, I’m in the public eye a lot. I always try to say the right thing. I don’t want to deal with any more drama in my life. I already have a lot of drama.”

In October 2022, Brady and the Brazilian model officially announced that they were divorcing, as they both issued separate statements on Instagram. “We arrived at this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together,” the former athlete wrote on his Instagram Story at the time. “We are blessed with beautiful and wonderful children who will continue to be the centre of our world in every day. We will continue to work together as parents to always ensure they receive the love and attention they deserve.”

As Brady has continued to speak candidly about his family, so has his ex-wife. During an appearance on CBS News Sunday Morning in September, Bündchen opened up about the divorce, noting that while she never expected it to happen, she’d still come to terms with the split.

“I mean, it’s not what I dreamed of and what I hoped for,” she said. “My parents have been married for 50 years, and I really wanted that to happen. But I think you have to accept, you know, sometimes that the way you are in your 20s, it’s sometimes you grow together, sometimes you grow apart.”

Bündchen also acknowledged that the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback will continue to be a part of her life, adding: “I mean, he’s the father of my kids, you know? So, I always wish him the best, and I’m so grateful that he gave me wonderful children.”