Tom Brady stood by Antonio Brown despite sick taunts on Gisele Bundchen split... but his attempted murder charge has left friendship in ruins
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Despite enduring public mockery from Antonio Brown about his divorce from Gisele Bundchen, Tom Brady remained supportive of his former teammate far longer than most would have anticipated. However, with Brown now embroiled in serious legal trouble, sources have shared with the Daily Mail that their friendship has reached its end.

Antonio Brown is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals after being extradited from Dubai on charges of attempted murder, a situation confirmed by representatives of both the Marshals and the Florida State Attorney’s office on Thursday.

The former NFL player is accused of attempting to shoot and kill a man during a boxing event in Florida last May. Since the incident, Brown has been residing in Dubai, a fact he has frequently shared through various online posts.

The rift between Brown and the iconic quarterback began to widen after Brown’s dramatic exit from the field during a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game in January 2022, which marked his final appearance in the NFL. Brown’s social media presence has since become infamous for offensive behavior, including repeated jabs at Brady regarding his much-publicized divorce from Bundchen.

Remarkably, Brady showed grace and understanding, even as he navigated the personal turmoil of his own life. Yet, with Brown’s recent legal issues, it seems the bond between the two has finally unraveled.

Tom Brady has no plans to reach out and offer support to Antonio Brown following his arrest

Tom Brady has no plans to reach out and offer support to Antonio Brown following his arrest

Brown is currently in custody after being extradited from Dubai on an attempted murder charge

Brown is currently in custody after being extradited from Dubai on an attempted murder charge

The former wide receiver Brown shared a private exchange from Brady to his followers on Snapchat in 2022, which read: ‘You are demonstrating very poor decisions and poor communication to so many people who have gone above and beyond to help you.’

Brown, who also revealed messages where his old teammate urged him not to miss his ‘psychologist appointments’ earlier this year, offered a heartfelt apology to Brady in 2024, saying: ‘You helped me succeed. You came and got me in the dirt, champ. Helped me be a champion. Helped me be a part of greatness, witness you be so great as a leader and as a person. I never took those things for granted, man.

‘I couldn’t live on without letting you know that as a man. I got nothing but the utmost respect for you, and I’m asking for your forgiveness.’

Yet despite his public apology last year, Brady will not be offering an olive branch to Brown amid his legal trouble as there is no longer a friendship between them.

‘Tom looked after Antonio for so long and supported him through many of his ups and downs and wanted him to get the help he needed, and Tom was there for him behind the scenes,’ an insider told the Daily Mail. 

‘He continued to root for him to be great both on the field and in life. But once Antonio started talking more about Tom and the more it got negative, Tom continued to take the high road and still wanted to be there for him if he needed help.

‘But it has been going more downhill in the last few years or so and there isn’t a friendship anymore.

‘Tom gave his heart to Antonio. Antonio lived with Tom, and they were obviously teammates, and he saw something in Antonio that is no longer there. It is very bittersweet seeing what Antonio has got himself into and once there would be a time that Tom would be glad to help, but not anymore.’

Brown was a teammate of Brady's on two occasions, in New England and later in Tampa Bay

Brown was a teammate of Brady’s on two occasions, in New England and later in Tampa Bay

But the pair's relationship has deteriorated in recent years amid Brown's vile antics online

But the pair’s relationship has deteriorated in recent years amid Brown’s vile antics online

The troubled ex-NFL star took shots at Brady amid his divorce from ex-wife Gisele Bundchen

The troubled ex-NFL star took shots at Brady amid his divorce from ex-wife Gisele Bundchen

The legendary quarterback believes their friendship is 'completely over,' a source has revealed

The legendary quarterback believes their friendship is ‘completely over,’ a source has revealed

The source continued: ‘Tom thinks the charges against Antonio are very sad and weren’t charges that would have happened with the person he knew a few years ago, but now that Antonio is going through this and obviously some other issues, Tom is not going to get close to it.

‘He won’t be reaching out to see if Antonio needs any support or someone to talk to, the friendship is completely over.’

Brady, speaking on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast earlier this year, stressed that he still ‘wanted the best’ for Brown despite their fractured relationship.

‘I think I saw a spark in him, that if put in the right place, how incredible it could be for not just the team he was on, but for his life and what he could accomplish,’ he said.

Presented with those remarks at the time, Brown initially joked that ‘traditional marijuana’ helped his life rather than Brady, before getting serious.

‘I love Tom Brady, man. Tom Brady gave me a good opportunity to play football,’ he told TMZ, before adding: ‘I don’t know about the life thing, I think he’s going too far.’

Miami-Dade County police have wanted Brown for attempted second-degree murder since June. If convicted, the Super Bowl winner could face up to 15 years in prison.

He first claimed his innocence after the shooting back in May, saying he was defending himself from would-be jewel thieves in the melee. 

But as one combatant told the Daily Mail after the shooting, Brown was allegedly the instigator. 

Brady and Brown won a Super Bowl together during their time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Brady and Brown won a Super Bowl together during their time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Miami-Dade County police have wanted Brown for attempted second-degree murder since June, when he was seen wielding a gun during a brawl in Miami

Miami-Dade County police have wanted Brown for attempted second-degree murder since June, when he was seen wielding a gun during a brawl in Miami 

That man, Zül-Qarnaįn Nantambu, claimed the controversial ex-football player shot at him, possibly in response to a legal battle between the two in federal bankruptcy court.

As seen in court files obtained by Daily Mail, Nantambu claimed during a 2022 encounter with Brown in Dubai that the Super Bowl winner stole a valuable pendant he had designed and produced. Nantambu further said Brown lied to police in the United Arab Emirates, accusing him of theft and resulting in Nantambu’s brief imprisonment.   

Nantambu sued Brown in Florida in 2022 and ultimately won a $968,960 verdict that was later vacated in 2024 before the case was dismissed. However, Nantambu has since pursued a partial reduced judgement of $123,600 in federal bankruptcy court as Brown continued to deny the allegations of theft, as seen those filings. 

So it came as a tremendous surprise to Nantambu when he noticed Brown had ‘locked eyes’ with him at an Adin Ross boxing event in Miami last May. Rather than discussing their dispute or ignoring his legal rival entirely, Brown immediately called over to security to falsely claim he was being jumped, Nantambu said. 

‘He plays gangster and plays the police at the same time, then he blames CTE,’ Nantambu told Daily Mail, referencing Brown’s frequent claims of traumatic brain injuries.

Nantambu was unaware of Brown’s arrest when contacted by the Daily Mail on Thursday evening. He declined to speak on the record.  

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