The story around Tom Brady and Candice Swanepoel has widened into a reported friendship rift involving fellow model Joan Smalls. The available accounts point to social media clues and unverified gossip, so the reasons behind the apparent tension remain unclear.
Brady and Swanepoel’s reported relationship
Brady, 49, and Swanepoel, 38, have reportedly been seeing each other for several months. Both are based in Miami, which sources cited by People Magazine said has made it easier for them to spend time together.
One source told the publication, “They’ve been dating for a while now.” The same account described the relationship as private, with Swanepoel being selective about whom she tells. A separate report from Page Six said Brady “really likes” Swanepoel, while characterizing the relationship as not especially serious at this point.
The reports have drawn attention partly because Brady has kept his dating life relatively private since his 2022 divorce from Gisele Bündchen. Since then, he has been linked to several well-known women, many of them models, including Irina Shayk and influencer Alix Earle. Those reported connections have not established a publicly confirmed relationship.
Unfollows and cryptic posts fuel speculation
The alleged falling-out came into focus after users noticed that Smalls and Swanepoel had unfollowed each other, despite their reported longstanding friendship. Smalls then commented on an Instagram post about the rumored dispute: “Two words: ‘SUMMER HOUSE!’ That’ll explain everything.”
The reference appeared to invoke the Bravo show, where a friendship dispute followed Amanda Batula’s relationship with West Wilson, who had previously been romantically involved with her friend Ciara Miller. That comparison led users to speculate that Smalls and Swanepoel’s tension might also involve a relationship crossing into a friendship.
Screenshots attributed to Smalls show her replying to a fan’s question about whether she and Swanepoel were still friends: “I’m not friends with backstabbers.” Another comment, later deleted, reportedly read, “There is no girl code with some people. And the disrespect and carelessness in how they treat you is unimaginable.”
Smalls also reportedly described a 15-year friendship ending amid dishonesty, writing: “Not a sorry said or written. Onwards and upwards!!!” The posts offer no direct explanation of what happened, and the screenshots’ attribution does not establish the underlying claims.
- Tom Brady’s new girlfriend raises eyebrows about his pattern of dating models.
- The NFL star and Swanepoel go to “great lengths” to keep their romance a secret.
- Brady was mocked over his surprising dig at Joe Burrow after he partied with Alix Earle.
- How Gisele Bündchen felt about Brady’s rumored romance with a much younger woman.
- Brady and Earle were reportedly “hooking up” as they had “romantic chemistry.”
- Bizarre Tom Brady and Erika Kirk dating rumor was swiftly debunked after millions of views.
An unverified tip links the dispute to Brady
A tip published by gossip blog DeuxMoi offered a possible link between the models’ dispute and Brady. The unverified account claimed that Smalls and the quarterback “dated on and off for approximately a year.”
The tip also alleged that Swanepoel had cautioned Smalls about the relationship out of respect for Brady’s former wife, Bündchen. It suggested Brady had been romantically involved with both women at different times, but provided no independently confirmed evidence for that account.
That allegation gives the online speculation a possible narrative, but the public posts and reported dating news do not confirm a love triangle or explain why the friendship may have changed.
Family life after Brady and Bündchen’s divorce
Brady and Bündchen ended their 13-year marriage in October 2022. They share two children, Benjamin and Vivian; Brady also has a son, Jack, with actress Bridget Moynahan. At the time of their separation announcement, both said they would prioritize their children and asked for privacy.
Bündchen later married jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente in 2025, and the couple welcomed a child in February that year. Brady’s reported connections since the divorce have included Shayk and Earle, though none has become a publicly confirmed relationship.
Sources describe Brady as focused on fatherhood
Sources cited by TMZ said Brady is taking his time romantically and devoting substantial attention to his three children. Insiders described him as closely involved in their lives, with the family often sharing activities.
For now, the relationship reports and the models’ social media activity remain the clearest public details. The claims tying the friendship’s strain to Brady come from an unverified tip, leaving the cause of the reported rift unresolved.
