The wife of New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has offered a public defence of Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen, the former spouse of franchise legend Tom Brady. Ann Michael Maye, who has gained her own celebrity status in the region, made the comments during a discussion for her new television programme.
From TikTok Baker to Television Star
Ann Michael Maye rose to prominence through her popular TikTok page, which showcases her skills as a baker. She went viral with a festive 'Bakemas' series during the holiday season, a success she has now parlayed into a television show titled 'Beyond Bakemas', which airs on NBC Sports Boston.
In a behind-the-scenes clip from the show's first episode, featuring Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, Maye revealed that she regularly reads the comments on her social media posts. While she finds humour in many, particularly those joking about 'tucking' her husband into bed, she also addressed the frequent comparisons to Gisele Bundchen.
A Word in Defence of Gisele
Directly responding to critics in the comment sections, the North Carolina graduate stated: 'Yeah it's always, "Gisele could never," "Gisele would never." She's been pretty good, guys, it's okay.' This marks a rare moment of public support for Bundchen, who is often mentioned negatively by a section of Patriots fans.
Bundchen, 45, was a constant presence during Tom Brady's historic 20-year tenure with the Patriots, where he won six Super Bowl titles. She followed him to Tampa Bay in 2020, where he secured a seventh championship that same season. The couple, married for 13 years, finalised their divorce in 2022. Bundchen has since remarried jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente, while Brady has been linked to social media influencer Alix Earle.
A New Era for New England
The defence of Brady's former partner comes as the Patriots franchise itself has emphatically moved into a new chapter. After struggling following Brady's departure, the team selected quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Maye has rapidly developed into an MVP-calibre player, engineering a remarkable turnaround for the team. His leadership was on full display just this past Sunday, as he guided the Patriots to their first AFC Divisional round appearance since the 2018 season—a feat last achieved by Tom Brady en route to a Super Bowl victory. New England now awaits the winner of the Pittsburgh Steelers versus Houston Texans Wild Card game.
