Joan Smalls has fueled speculation about a falling-out with fellow Victoria's Secret model Candice Swanepoel after appearing to call her a "backstabber" on social media.

The apparent rift gained attention after fans noticed the longtime friends no longer appeared to follow each other on Instagram.

The timing has added another layer to the story. Reports surfaced over the weekend that Swanepoel, 38, has been dating retired NFL star Tom Brady, 49, for several months.

Neither Swanepoel nor Brady has publicly confirmed the relationship, while an anonymous DeuxMoi tip has separately alleged that Smalls and Brady previously dated on and off for about a year.

According to screenshots reported by Just Jared and Cosmopolitan, Smalls appeared to respond to a fan's question about her friendship with Swanepoel by writing, "im not friends with backstabbers."

In another since-deleted message, Smalls allegedly described the end of a 15-year friendship and wrote, "There is no girl code with some people."

She went on to accuse the unnamed person of disrespecting and minimizing her feelings, while claiming there was "no going back."

Smalls did not identify Swanepoel in those comments, meaning the posts do not independently establish who she was referring to.

The speculation intensified after Smalls commented on a Just Jared Instagram post about the reported friendship drama.

"Two words: SUMMER HOUSE! That'll explain everything," she wrote, according to screenshots reported by multiple outlets.

The apparent reference is significant because the Bravo reality series recently featured a friendship fallout involving Amanda Batula, Ciara Miller and West Wilson.

Batula and Miller had been close friends before Batula began dating Wilson, who had previously dated Miller. Miller later said her friendship with Batula was over.

Smalls did not explain exactly how the comparison applied to her situation.

Brady's reported romance with Swanepoel has been confirmed by multiple media reports, though the couple has not addressed it publicly.

A source told People that they have been dating for months and spend considerable time together in Miami, while TMZ reported that sources believe the relationship began in June.

Separately, an anonymous DeuxMoi tip alleged that Smalls and Brady dated on and off for approximately a year. The tip also claimed Swanepoel had previously cautioned Smalls about the situation before allegedly becoming involved with Brady herself.

Those claims have not been independently verified.

There is currently no confirmed evidence that Brady is the reason for any disagreement between the models.

Smalls and Swanepoel both walked in the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which took place in Los Angeles on Oct. 18. The brand's official lineup included both models.

Their apparent distance at the event, along with the social-media changes and Smalls' alleged comments, has continued to fuel questions about their friendship. However, the circumstances behind any reported estrangement remain unclear.

Swanepoel has not publicly addressed the alleged comments, and Smalls has not confirmed that her friendship with Swanepoel has anything to do with Brady.

For now, the reported Brady-Swanepoel romance is better established than the alleged history between Brady and Smalls or the reason for the models' apparent rift.