Tom Brady skipped out on the New England Patriots' organized team activities in both 2018 and 2019, citing a need to spend more time with his family.
While many speculated if Brady's absence was caused by an apparent rift with Bill Belichick or dissatisfaction with his contract, it turns out he wasn't lying about the family part.
During an interview Wednesday with SiriusXM's Howard Stern, the former Patriots quarterback admitted his wife, Gisele Bündchen, came to him two years ago with somewhat of an ultimatum.
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"A couple of years ago, she didn't feel like I was doing my part for the family," Brady said. "She felt like I would play football all season, and she'd take care of the house.
"Then, when the season ended, I'd be like, 'Great, let me get into all my other business activities. Let me get into my football training.' And she's going, 'When are you going to do for things for the house? When are you going to take the kids to school?'
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"That was a big part of our marriage. I had to check myself because she was like, 'I have goals and dreams, too. ... So, you better start taking care of things at the house.' "
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Gisele's message to Brady may explain why, when asked about why he steered clear of OTAs in 2019, the Patriots QB responded:
"I have a family at home and they get some of my time and energy and my wife is a very ambitious woman and she travels a lot. So, just trying to divide some responsibilities at home."
Brady apparently found a successful balance between home and work life, though. The Patriots won Super Bowl LIII after Brady skipped OTAs in 2018, and the 42-year-old QB seemingly has smoothed things over with his wife since.
"I had to make a big transition in my life to say, 'I can't do all the things that I wanted to do for football like I used to. I've got to take care of things in my family,' " Brady said.
"Because my family, the situation wasn't great. She wasn't satisfied with our marriage. So, I needed to make a change in that."
The Brady clan is making another major change this offseason, as the family relocated to the Tampa mansion owned by Derek Jeter after Brady signed with the Buccaneers in free agency.
