Gisele Bündchen reportedly slammed Bill Belichick for refusing to treat Tom Brady like a man

Tom Brady spent two decades building a legacy in New England, but six Super Bowl titles could not shield him from the strain of playing under Bill Belichick. Behind the Patriots' success, their partnership faced growing personal tensions. Now, author Lars Anderson has brought fresh attention to a private confrontation involving Gisele Bündchen and team owner Robert Kraft. The meeting offers a glimpse into the frustration surrounding Brady's final years with the Patriots, when the quarterback's achievements appeared to do little to soften Belichick's demanding approach.Gisele Bündchen challenged Robert Kraft over Bill Belichick's treatment of Tom BradyIn his upcoming book, Brady: An American Story and the Price of Greatness, Anderson recounts a meeting at Kraft's home involving Brady and Bündchen. According to the author, the supermodel voiced her frustration over how Belichick treated her husband, despite his central role in the Patriots' historic run.“Gisele and Tom went over to Bob Kraft’s house late in his career with the Patriots,” Anderson said in an exclusive interview on Monday. “Gisele essentially told Kraft, I think she said, ‘Bill doesn’t treat Tommy like an effing man.’”The remark highlights the personal cost of Brady's relentless pursuit of success. Anderson's book, set for release on September 29, draws on more than 350 interviews. Brady did not cooperate with the project.Belichick's blunt coaching style reportedly played a major role in the growing divide. Even after Brady became the face of the Patriots dynasty, the coach continued to challenge him in front of teammates.“One famous anecdote is when he said, ‘Johnny Foxborough could have made that f****** throw,’” Anderson said. “And Tom took it.”Anderson describes the repeated criticism as a “slow-acting poison” that gradually damaged the relationship between the two NFL legends.Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's Patriots relationship reached a breaking pointAnderson's account echoes a scene from Jeff Benedict's The Dynasty, which detailed a similar confrontation after New England's Super Bowl LII loss to Philadelphia.“I heard Gisele say, ‘That effin’ Belichick, he doesn’t treat my Tommy like a man,’” Kraft recalled, according to Benedict's book.Kraft reportedly offered to help Brady leave New England if that was what he wanted. Tensions also grew over Belichick's restrictions on Brady's longtime trainer, Alex Guerrero, who lost access to the Patriots' sideline and team charter.Brady stayed for the 2019 season and won another Super Bowl before leaving for Tampa Bay in 2020. He then captured a seventh championship with the Buccaneers, adding another remarkable chapter to his career.Brady had also openly acknowledged the challenge of playing under Belichick in 2018.“He has a management style \[with\] players, and he would say, ‘Look, I’m not the easiest coach to play for,’” Brady said at the time. “I agree. He’s not the easiest coach to play for.”Their shared success remains historic, but these accounts reveal the personal tensions that eventually helped bring their Patriots partnership to an end.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.