There's nothing quite like a New Year's Eve viral moment to set the internet ablaze, and this week, that's precisely what happened when footage emerged of Tom Brady, the retired NFL legend, cosying up to TikTok sensation Alix Earle at an exclusive bash in St. Barths.
The internet, quick to spot possible celebrity couples, has been watching every move and word, and the rumours aren't slowing down.
The clip, which circulated across social media on 31 December, shows the 48-year-old football icon and the 25-year-old content creator chatting, dancing, and clearly enjoying themselves at the upscale Caribbean resort.
At one point, Earle, a blonde bombshell newly single after her split from footballer Braxton Berrios, leaned in to Brady and whispered something into his ear, whilst he placed his hand on her backside in what observers have described as a decidedly flirtatious gesture. Whether this was a fleeting moment between friends or something more substantial remains unclear, but the internet has already drawn its own conclusions.
The Age Gap Sparks Controversy
Social media users have wasted little time pointing out the stark generational divide, with one particularly pointed comment noting, 'She was 6 years old when he had his first son.' Others took aim at the dynamic, sarcastically asking whether Earle calls Brady 'daddy,' whilst a third observer simply posted, 'Why?' Not everyone was critical, though some users seemed rather charmed by the pairing, with one enthusiastically declaring, 'Alix is hot AF,' and another adding the knowing commentary: 'What happens in St Barths stays in St Barths.'
Finding Her Feet After Heartbreak
Earle's romantic life has been in flux recently. The TikTok star, who boasts millions of followers, recently confirmed her breakup from Berrios, 30, after nearly two years together.
Speaking candidly about the split, she revealed the emotional toll it's taken on her in a vulnerable moment shared with her followers. 'It's just been really hard to process in general, and I think why I've been scared to say something is because I feel like it just makes it more real,' she admitted in an interview, before elaborating: 'Braxton and I are no longer together. We have been doing long distance since basically June and we haven't gotten to see each other that often.'
In another candid post, Earle reflected on her personal growth as she approaches her 25th birthday. 'Is my frontal lobe developing bc I'm about to turn 25 and usually I stress abt having the biggest party but all I want to do is workout, meditate, play card games, & have good convos w the ppl closest to me,' she wrote, layering the text over a video of herself relaxing in bed. She followed up with a telling caption: 'Either I'm maturing or just rlly going thru it .. maybe both 😭.' Her transparency about navigating heartbreak has resonated with her devoted fan base.
Brady's Post-Divorce Dating Scene
Brady, meanwhile, has been enjoying his newfound single status following his high-profile divorce from supermodel Gisele Bündchen. The seven-time Super Bowl champion has been romantically linked to model Irina Shayk and reality television personality Brooks Nader in recent months.
According to sources close to the situation, those connections were notably casual in nature. 'They've been hooking up this summer, having rendezvous in different cities. It's casual. She has a very active social calendar and likes to party and Tom is often with the kids and doesn't like the nightlife scene,' an insider previously revealed to People magazine regarding one of those rumoured flings.
