Joan Smalls Brands Candice Swanepoel "No Girl Code" Over Tom Brady

The story Candice Swanepoel apparently never saw coming: her closest friend for 15 years, Joan Smalls, went public with the accusation that Swanepoel had broken girl code after reportedly starting to date Tom Brady. Brady, by the same account, was someone Swanepoel had once advised Smalls to stop seeing.

Page Six first reported on October 24 that Brady and Swanepoel had been quietly dating since June 2026, meeting through mutual friends in Miami. Neither has publicly confirmed the relationship. EntertainmentNow reported October 28 that Brady had a casual, on-and-off relationship with Smalls from 2023 to 2024. Brady, 49, has been publicly linked to Irina Shayk, Sofia Vergara, and Alix Earle since his 2022 divorce from Gisele Bündchen.

The turn that became the story: Page Six reported that before Swanepoel and Brady became an item, Swanepoel had encouraged Smalls to end things with the quarterback. According to Fox News, citing Page Six, Smalls is now reportedly giving mutual friends ultimatums to choose sides.

The Deleted Posts

Smalls did not stay quiet. She posted then deleted Instagram messages calling Swanepoel a 'backstabber.' 'And the way they gaslight, lie and minimize your feelings is the worst slap in the face after 15yrs of friendship,' one reported post read. She also left a comment on Page Six's Instagram: 'Two words: SUMMER HOUSE ! That'll explain everything.' The reference appeared to be to a Bravo reality-show love triangle. All posts were later removed.

And the way they gaslight, lie and minimize your feelings is the worst slap in the face after 15yrs of friendship.
Joan Smalls, in a since-deleted Instagram message, per Page Six via Fox News, October 2026

Swanepoel's representative addressed the reports in a statement to Page Six, reported by Fox News on November 1: 'Candice has always been exceptionally private about her personal life, with her focus remaining on raising her children.' The statement did not confirm or deny a relationship with Brady.

On the Same Runway Anyway

The brand subplot involves Victoria's Secret directly. Smalls and Swanepoel both walked in the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles this October. The show drew 3.6 million viewers in its L.A. comeback year. It was Swanepoel's 14th appearance on the VS runway. Neither model publicly acknowledged the other during press for the event. Victoria's Secret has not commented on the reported dispute between two of its most prominent Angels.

Sources told Entertainment Tonight, per EntertainmentNow, that Brady and Swanepoel 'haven't been sure why Joan is making an issue of it now.' That is an unnamed characterization from one side only. Smalls has not given a full public statement. The posts she published and removed are the most direct evidence of her position.

What This Looks Like From Outside

Fifteen years of friendship in a small professional world like high fashion tends to run deep. Models share the same agents, the same shows, the same client rosters, the same parties. That proximity also means disputes travel fast and in professional settings where neutrality is expected. Smalls' ultimatums to mutual friends, as reported by Page Six, describe a dispute that is not staying private.

The rep statement from Swanepoel's side is carefully crafted. 'Exceptionally private' is a phrase that acknowledges nothing. 'Raising her children' is a reframe toward a sympathetic context. It does not dispute what Page Six reported. It does not confirm anything either. That is crisis-communications standard practice, not an admission or a denial.

What is known: Page Six confirmed the romance, People sources confirmed the Miami timeline, Smalls deleted posts confirm she reacted publicly, and Swanepoel's rep confirms she is aware of the situation. What is unconfirmed: whether Swanepoel explicitly told Smalls to end things with Brady, and whether the relationship itself is as serious as the coverage implies. Brady has not spoken publicly. The 2026 VS Fashion Show broadcast airs in December.

Ad Watch News is an independent commentary site with no affiliation with Joan Smalls, Candice Swanepoel, Tom Brady, or Victoria's Secret.

Joan Smalls Brands Candice Swanepoel "No Girl Code" Over Tom Brady

The Deleted Posts

On the Same Runway Anyway

What This Looks Like From Outside

Sources & further reading

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