“There’s no manual for this,” Brady says, reflecting on painful fallout from comedy special targeting ex-wife Gisele Bündchen.
In a raw and revealing moment, NFL icon Tom Brady is owning up to what he now calls one of his biggest personal mistakes — agreeing to be roasted on Netflix, a decision he says deeply affected his children and left him with lasting regret.
Brady, 47, opened up on the Impaulsive podcast about the fallout from The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady, a comedy special that aired in June 2023. While the former Patriots and Buccaneers quarterback initially enjoyed the laughs, things took a turn once he saw the emotional toll it had taken on his kids.
“There are some things you f* up as a parent and don’t realize until later,”** Brady said. “We’re not perfect. You just hope you don’t hurt the ones you love. But this time, I did.”
A Night of Laughs — and Consequences
The roast, filmed at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, was supposed to be a lighthearted celebration of Brady’s career. Instead, it turned into a relentless barrage of jokes about his high-profile divorce from Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen — mother to two of Brady’s three children — and her relationship with jiu-jitsu trainer Joaquim Valente.
Comedian Nikki Glaser led the charge, delivering one viral jab after another. Among the most brutal lines:
“The only thing dumber than saying yes to this roast was telling your wife, ‘You should try jiu-jitsu.’”
And another: “You’ve got seven rings — well, eight now that Gisele gave hers back.”
Brady, who said the experience felt like being “back in the locker room,” laughed it off — until the next day, when his kids voiced their pain.
“They were like, ‘What was the point of that? Why did you do that?’ And they were right. It felt like a stake through the heart,” he confessed. “They’re protective — of me, of their mom. It wasn’t worth it.”
Gisele’s Quiet Fury
According to reports at the time, Bündchen was “deeply disappointed” by the roast. A source close to the model told People, “As always, Gisele’s priority is the children — and they were hurt by what they saw and heard.”
The Daily Mail also reported that Gisele found the tone of the special “irresponsible,” particularly because of how it portrayed her personal life and the father of her children.
Brady and Bündchen, once the gold standard of power couples, were married for 13 years before calling it quits in October 2022. Their split came during Brady’s final NFL season. The former couple share two children — 15-year-old Benjamin and 12-year-old Vivian — and Brady has a third son, Jack, with actress Bridget Moynahan.
Trying to Move Forward
Despite their split, sources say Gisele wishes Brady well — and even wants him to find love again. “She’s not bitter. She’s moved on and she’s happy,” a source told Life & Style. “They co-parent really well. She hopes he finds someone who makes him happy.”
Brady, for his part, is believed to be dating “casually” but remains single. And while the seven-time Super Bowl champion may have once seemed untouchable, this moment of humility has revealed a different side — that even the GOAT can make a call he wishes he could take back.
“You live and you learn,” Brady said quietly. “But you don’t forget.”
Background: A Family in the Spotlight
Tom Brady’s fame hasn’t just followed him onto the football field — it’s shaped his entire family’s public life. From Gisele’s modeling career to Jack’s early moments on the sidelines of Patriots games, the Brady bunch has lived under a national microscope.
But with fame comes pressure — and for Brady, that pressure boiled over in a moment that was meant to be fun.
“The performances were incredible, the room was electric… but looking back? I’d trade all of that to protect my kids,” he said.
For a man who’s been celebrated for his precision on the field, this off-field misstep might be the most painful fumble of his life.
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