Gisele Bündchen Tweets Support for Husband Tom Brady, but Skips His First Game amid 'Rough Patch'

"There's a lot of tension. She was so happy when he announced his retirement, and she wasn't thrilled at all when he went back on that," a source previously told PEOPLE of the longtime couple

Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen
Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen. Photo: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images

Tom Brady is set to hit the field for his first post-retirement NFL game Sunday night, and his wife Gisele Bündchen won't be in the stands, a source tells PEOPLE.

The 45-year-old quarterback will make his return to the league for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first game of the 2022-2023 season against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium without Bündchen, 42, the insider says.

Prior to the first snap, Bündchen tweeted, "Let's go @TomBrady ! Let's go Bucs ! ✨✨✨"

On Thursday, a source with the Buccaneers told PEOPLE that there were no plans in place for the supermodel to attend the game.

"It's always a big thing when Gisele is coming to watch the game," with extra security and snacks for the family, but "as of right now, there's none of that for Sunday's game," they said.

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"It feels very different this year than last year. She was excited to be here, we saw her around," the source added. "I'm not saying she can't possibly come, but nothing is in place for her to be here for the first regular season game and that seems weird."

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen
Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady. Gisele Bundchen Instagram

The insider went on to say they're staying away from bringing up Bündchen around the 7-time Super Bowl champion.

"Everyone here knows that there's tension, but we don't know how serious it is. So we're just not talking to him about Gisele. It's not a topic anyone wants to bring up to him."

A separate source previously told PEOPLE that Bündchen "wasn't thrilled" about Brady coming out of retirement.

"There's a lot of tension. She was so happy when he announced his retirement, and she wasn't thrilled at all when he went back on that."

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"They're hitting a rough patch," the insider continued. "But I know they're trying, or at least he's trying, to figure it out and make it work. He wants to get through this and for things to get better."

Rumors of a rift between the couple increased after Brady was excused from practicing with the Buccaneers last month "to deal with some personal things," head coach Todd Bowles said during a press conference at the time. According to Bowles, Brady and the team discussed the absence before the start of training camp in July.

Brady spoke about his absence from the team after he eventually returned 11 days later.

"Everyone has different situations they're dealing with, and we all have unique challenges to our lives," Brady told reporters. "I'm 45 years old, man."

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More than a month after confirming his retirement in February, Brady revealed his decision to un-retire via Instagram in March.

"These past two months I've realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it's not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible," he wrote.

Supporting him in the comment section, Bündchen wrote, "Here we go again! Let's go lovvvey! Let's go Bucs!🔥"

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