Tom Brady faces backlash for cliff diving with his young daughter in viral video
New England Patriots star Tom Brady is facing a wave of controversy this week over a now-viral video, which has garnered nearly three million views at press time. It shows the athlete and his youngest child with model Gisele Bündchen standing on the edge of a cliff, above a body of water.
Six-year-old Vivian appeared to say something to Brady, as he walks up to her and holds her hand. "We're going to jump all the way out, OK," the quarterback then instructed his daughter as they prepare to jump.
Brady then appeared to ask,"Ready?" and counted down to the duo's jump. Then, they leap in the water, holding hands as a woman screams in the background. Both emerge from the water and swim around after the dive.
"If Vivi is going to be an Olympic champion one day, it probably won't be in synchronized diving," Brady wrote in an Instagram caption Friday, alongside the controversial video. "Daddy always gives her a 10 though!"
While the six-time Super Bowl champ surely thought the video was a sweet family moment when he shared it to the platform, many social media users were quick to condemn the jump.
"Absolutely the most stupid and dangerous thing for a 6 yr. old child to do. You should be ASHAMED," one Instagram user commeted. Some users claimed the young girl didn't appear ready to jump into the water in the video. "This is so cringey. she backs out and doesn't jump, but he yanks her in with him," said another.
Even celebrities gave the superstar their two-cents. "You KNOW I have complete faith in you as a man, friend, player and father - but this just gave me anxiety. Geeezus," wrote Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson on the video. The comment was also accompanied by a crying laughing emoji and clapping emojis.
Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry and rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs both commented with crying laughing emojis, as well. Legendary quarterback Brett Favre also jokingly commented, "She is a 10 but old dad gets a," followed by a thumbs down emoji.
The criticism isn't the first controversy Brady has faced over the years about his parenting. In late January 2018, a scene in the Facebook documentary "Tom vs. Time" showed the athlete getting two kisses from his pre-teen son John Edward Thomas Moynahan on the mouth, reports CBS New York. Moynahan is the son of actress Bridget Moynahan, Brady's ex-girlfriend.
The athlete's management did not respond to request for comment.
