Tom Brady 'Had A Concussion Last Year,' Says Wife Gisele Bündchen
BOSTON (CBS) -- Gisele Bündchen, the wife of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, said in an interview that Brady "had a concussion last year."
In an interview on CBS This Morning Wednesday, Charlie Rose asked Bündchen about comments Brady made on SiriusXM NFL Radio back in February that suggested she would have him retire if she had things her way.
"Are you trying to get him to retire?" Rose asked.
"You know, I just have to say as a wife, I'm a little bit, its, as you know, it's not the most like, let's say, un-aggressive sport, right?" Bündchen told Rose. "Football, like he had a concussion last year, I mean he has concussions pretty much every--you know, we don't talk about it but he does have concussions. I don't really think it's a healthy thing for your body to go through like, through that kind of aggression like, all the time--that cannot be healthy for you, right? I mean I'm planning on having him be healthy and do a lot of fun things when we're like 100, I hope."
Rose did not ask any follow-up questions about those alleged concussions.
When reached by WBZ-TV Wednesday morning regarding Bündchen's comments, the Patriots had no comment.
In a statement Wednesday afternoon, the NFL said it has reviewed all reports from "unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants and certified athletic trainer spotters who worked at Patriots' home and away 2016 season games as well as club injury reports that were sent to the league office."
"There are no records that indicate that Mr. Brady suffered a head injury or concussion, or exhibited or complained of concussion symptoms," the statement said. "Today we have been in contact with the NFLPA and will work together to gather more information from the club's medical staff and Mr. Brady. The health and safety of our players is our foremost priority and we want to ensure that all our players have and continue to receive the best care possible."
The NFLPA also released a statement on Wednesday.
Our Union has taken proactive steps to address the issue of player health and safety – concussions in particular – during the past several years. We are united with players and their families to raise greater awareness, improve medical care and protocols, and above all, to offer them with support. Of course, we will proceed with our process as we normally would for any player, but we are equally proud of our leadership in this area for our members and for athletes at every level of sports.
A 2015 Newsday report found that Tom Brady wears a type of helmet that has a low rating in terms of concussion protection.
"A five-star helmet is the best at reducing the risk of concussion," the story stated. "A one-star helmet is the least effective."
The report said Brady wore a one-star helmet.
Concussion Legacy Foundation CEO Chris Nowinski told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens it's possible Tom Brady didn't know he had been concussed--and it's certainly possible the team didn't know about it.
"I wasn't surprised, because the reality is we only diagnose a small fraction of the concussions that actually happen," Nowinski said. "And for NFL players, there's huge consequences to being diagnosed with a concussion. And oftentimes, players don't even know they're concussed."
In the CBS This Morning interview, Bündchen also spoke about the strict diet her family follows--which she says was at her insistence.
"We have a plant-based diet, we've been having it for ten years," she said. "We feel better, it's better for our health, and everything we put into our body has an effect on us, on our energy, how we feel."
Rose mentioned that Brady says he wouldn't be the athlete he is without that diet.
"He doesn't feel achy, he just has so much more energy," Bündchen said. "In the beginning it was a little, you know, different for him, but now he loves it and he wouldn't have it any other way because he feels better."
Bündchen also spoke to Rose about her efforts to raise awareness about the condition of the planet along with environmentalist Paul Hawken. They are partnering to promote his book, "Drawdown," which highlights 100 ways to reverse global warming.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports
