(CNN) — Tom Brady has opened up about his divorce from his wife of 13 years, Gisele Bündchen, saying he is focusing on his family and football amid a “very amicable situation”.
“I think there are a lot of professionals in life who go through things that they have to deal with at work and things that they have to deal with at home,” the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback said on his weekly podcast Monday, days after he and Bündchen announced divorce.
“Obviously, the good news is that it’s a very friendly situation and I’m really focused on two things: taking care of my family, and certainly my kids, and secondly, doing the best I can to win games. That’s what professionals do. .
The former couple announced on Friday that they are divorcing after 13 years.
Speaking to sportswriter Jim Gray on his weekly appearance on the “Let’s Go!” podcast, Brady added, “Focus on work when it’s time to work, and then when you get home, focus on the priorities at home. Anything what you can do is the best you can do. That’s what I’ll continue to do as long as I’m working and as long as I’m a father.”
Gray asked Brady if it was a challenge to share between the two.
“I think that’s what being a pro is all about,” Brady said. “I’ve faced a lot of challenging situations on and off the field over 23 years, and a lot of it is played out in front of a lot of people.”
“So I think what’s interesting for a footballer and an athlete in general is that you get exposure, I always say we’re not actors even if we’re on TV. We’re out there on our own.”
“We try to do our best. That’s how people have come to know me over the years, when I’ve been on TV, and that’s the real me that’s out there and competing with my teammates every day, and you give everything you can to the team.”
“Everyone goes through different things. We all have our own challenges in life. We’re all human. We do the best we can,” he added.
Brady and Bündchen announced their divorce on Instagram on Friday.
Brady, 45, retired from the NFL in February, only to later reverse that decision. He took an 11-day leave of absence in August to “deal with personal issues,” according to his head coach Todd Bowles.
In a recent conversation on his podcast, Brady discussed some of the personal costs of playing in the NFL for two decades.
Brady retired from the NFL in February, but later reversed his decision.
“I haven’t had Christmas in 23 years and I haven’t had Thanksgiving in 23 years, I haven’t celebrated birthdays with people I care about who were born between August and the end of January. And I can’t be at funerals.” and I can’t be at weddings,” Brady said.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Elle magazine published in September, Bündchen, 42, said she was “concerned” about her husband’s return to football after he initially retired last winter.
“This is a very violent sport, and I have my own children and I would like him to be more present,” Bündchen told the publication. “I’ve definitely had those conversations with him over and over again. But ultimately, I think everybody has to make a decision that works for (them). He’s also got to be happy with his job.”
With information from Chloe Melas.