NFL legend Tom Brady has reportedly found love with yet another legend on the runway: Irina Shayk. In fact, they’ve already had time for an on again, off again situation. Linked for the first time in summer 2023, their romance was brief and fizzled out in October. Now though? They’re reportedly back on and things are getting steamy.

According to Page Six, Brady and Shayk rekindled in February after a New Year’s Eve conversation that led to them both deciding to take a trip together. A source close to the pair told Grazia that they ‘spending hot and heavy weekends away together’, but are staying far from prying eyes.

‘Tom has the resources to make it work, they both fly by private jet and only book the most exclusive places, where privacy is guaranteed,’ the insider shared. ‘They don’t use their real names, and Tom gets an assistant to handle the check in so that no one has to ever see them together. A lot of the time they don’t even go to a resort and instead he’ll rent a private villa for them, they love jetting away to the Caribbean when he has a few days off, they’ve also managed to meet up in Europe, in New York, and even Los Angeles. It’s not that hard to keep it under wraps because they’re both so discreet.’

Shayk was previously in a relationship with actor Bradley Cooper, with whom she shares a daughter, Lea, 8, but they split in 2019 after four years together. Prior to that, she was engaged to footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, whom she dated for six years.

‘Irina is an old hat at keeping her private life out of the headlines,’ Grazia’s source shared. ‘Her and Tom both think it’s for the best because they want to give things a chance to grow naturally, without the pressure of being this public couple. But no doubt it also gives them a little thrill, sneaking around is fun, it adds to the excitement.’

It appears to be the strategy du jour for Hollywood’s newest It couples, with Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet similarly keeping their two-year relationship out of the spotlight – the pair still haven’t walked a red carpet together, despite regularly attending the same events. Tom Holland and Zendaya also make a point to keep their relationship private, despite now being engaged, as do Hollywood megastars Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes. For many couples, it’s all about ensuring their individual achievements are the focus of tabloid chatter – as opposed to their romantic lives.

After a highly publicised divorce, it makes sense that Brady wouldn’t want all eyes on his new romance. Despite the couple choosing not to share details about the divorce, the second they announced the decision the internet went into overdrive. A beloved couple by sports and fashion fans alike for many years, it sent shockwaves through both communities.

Alas, it was reported that the couple’s marriage grew strained when Brady returned to football after retiring in 2022. Brady previously told Howard Stern that football impacted his marriage because Gisele felt he wasn’t doing his ‘part for the family.’  ‘[She] felt like I would play football all season and she would take care of the house,’ Brady explained. ‘She wasn’t satisfied with our marriage. So, I needed to make a change in that. Her point was, “Well, yeah, of course this works for you. It all works for you. But it doesn’t work for me.”’

Two years later, Brady announced his retirement after 22 seasons playing in the NFL,  but returned to the NFL’s Buccaneers six weeks later. That same year, Gisele gave an interview to Elle, saying ‘I’ve done my part, which is [to] be there for [Tom]. I moved to Boston, and I focused on creating a cocoon and a loving environment for my children to grow up in and to be there supporting him and his dreams. Seeing my children succeed and become the beautiful little humans that they are, seeing him succeed, and being fulfilled in his career—it makes me happy. At this point in my life, I feel like I’ve done a good job on that. I have a huge list of things that I have to do, that I want to do. At 42, I feel more connected with my purpose….I feel very fulfilled in that way, as a mother and as a wife. And now it’s going to be my turn.’

A month after that interview, rumours that the couple were living apart and had hired divorce lawyers were rife. The divorce was formally filed in Florida at the end of October. By February 2023, Brady announced retirement, for real this time. Alas, the divorce was still on – and was finalised a month later.

‘It’s like a death and a rebirth,’ Gisele told Vanity Fair, and acknowledged that there were many reasons for their divorce, not just Brady’s career, calling it ‘one piece of a much bigger puzzle.’

Now, the supermodel is in a relationship with Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente. After 18 months together, the couple welcomed their first child, a boy named River, last month.

Alas, all’s well that ends well, right?