Gisele Bundchen: Tom Brady Played With a Concussion Last Year

Tom Brady played through a concussion last year on his way to a fifth Super Bowl title, according to his wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen. The injury, which was not reported by the team, left her worried about how long he should continue to play football.

Asked if she wanted the New England Patriots quarterback to retire, Bundchen expressed concern "as a wife" in an interview on "CBS This Morning" that aired Wednesday.

"He had a concussion last year. I mean, he has concussions pretty much every...," Bundchen told Charlie Rose before cutting herself off.  "I mean, we don't talk about it, but he does have concussions."

The NFL released a statement Wednesday saying: "There are no records that indicate that Mr. Brady suffered a head injury or concussion, or exhibited or complained of concussion symptoms."

The league also said that they are working on gathering more information from the club, medical staff and Brady himself.

The NFL requires "significant or noteworthy" injuries to be reported, regardless of whether a player is expected to miss playing time, and says honest reporting of injuries "affects the integrity of the game."

Brady was never listed in league-required injury reports for a concussion or head injury at any point during either the 2016 calendar year or the 2016 season. But he did miss practice late in the season with other ailments, including leg, thigh and ankle injuries. He started in 12 regular season games and three playoff games last season, including the Super Bowl win over the Atlanta Falcons. 

The league is especially - though belatedly - sensitive to concussions, which have been linked to a brain disease that leaves former players forgetful, violent or suicidal. The NFL has agreed to pay $1 billion to retired players who accused the league of concealing the link between football and brain damage.

An NFL spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Patriots declined to respond to Bundchen's comments on Wednesday morning. Brady's agent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

By winning his fifth NFL title at the age of 39 — leading the biggest Super Bowl comeback in history — Brady has already defied age and cemented himself among the league's all-time greats. He has long said he wanted to keep playing until his mid-40s, but he told ESPN in an interview published this week that he would continue beyond that if he was able to stay healthy and productive.

But Bundchen balked at those plans when asked by CBS host Charlie Rose about her husband's plans.

"That kind of aggression all the time, that cannot be healthy for you," she said. "I'm planning on him being healthy and do a lot of fun things when we're like 100, I hope."

Bundchen was on "CBS This Morning" to discuss her environmental advocacy efforts.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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