Tom Brady has described his divorce from Gisele Bundchen as "a challenge"

Speaking to MLFootball, he explained: "My last season was tough. I was going through, I had a lot of, you know, a personal family issue.

"And it was a challenge, and it was very ... it just took a lot out of me in terms of, you know, my ability to play."

Brady - who previously played 20 seasons for the New England Patriots - announced his retirement in February 2022 but he later backtracked and agreed to play a third season with the Buccaneers before giving up the sport for good in 2023.

In the interview, he went on to insist he was determined to retire before the age of 45 so he could spend more time with his children -as Jack, 18, with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan, as well as Benjamin, 16, and daughter Vivian, 13, with Bundchen.

He added: "I had 23 years of [football] so I didn't think I was missing anything, retiring. I felt like I always had a goal - 45. I was 45 years old, I wanted to spend time with my kids.

"I felt like, okay, now it's time for me to be at all my kids' games. They've been to enough of their dad's games."

Brady added of his final seasons: "[I] tried to put as much as [I] could into [the final season].

"I felt like I owed to my teammates and coaches to give them everything I had. I wish it could have been a little bit better at the end. But it was just a unique situation and a unique year for me."

It comes after Brady admitted he currently doesn't "have much time for a personal life" because work and his family keep him too busy to have the time to date.

He told People magazine: "You know what? I don't have much time for a personal life or much time for myself, but I love working and I love my kids.

"I like to be busy and try to really stay fulfilled in the things I'm doing, so I'm working on some really cool projects and I'm involved with some great teams of people that are doing some really positive things "And then obviously, my little babies at home. No, they're not babies anymore."

He added of his children. He said: "My oldest is 18. But seeing him thrive and grow, and there's nothing greater for a parent when you're seeing your kids do well.

"[Benjamin] is doing great as a sophomore. [My] little baby girl in seventh grade is a little kick-ass volleyball player. I'm so blessed in so many parts of my life."