Tom Brady 600 career TDs: How much might QB's milestone memorabilia cost in auction?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan who gave back Tom Brady's 600th career touchdown pass game ball missed a chance to cash in huge.
At least that's what sports memorabilia experts say.
According to them, the prized ball is worth as much as a fleet of luxury cars or even a new house.
The ball could fetch "minimum $500,000" at auction, Ken Goldin, founder and executive chairman of Goldin Auctions, said. Chris Ivy of Heritage Auctions echoed that valuation. Ezra Levine, CEO of Collectible, a sports memorabilia investment platform, declared Brady's historic ball worth "easily $500,000-plus" and probably "closer to $750,000."
Brady became the first player in NFL history to throw 600 touchdown passes on Sunday, in the first half of the Buccaneers' blowout win, 38-3, against the Chicago Bears.
Wide receiver Mike Evans caught the 9-yard touchdown pass from Brady that increased the Buccaneers' lead to 21-0 and broke the 600 mark.
What no one could have anticipated was Evans giving the ball away, either because he was unaware of the significance of the touchdown to Brady or because he experienced a temporary brain cramp; the wide receiver gave a fan wearing his No. 13 jersey the historic ball, which forced the team to negotiate with the fan to get the ball back.
Two Buccaneers beat writers, Greg Auman of The Athletic and Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times, tracked down the fan in his seat in the first row behind the end zone. They reported that the fan identified himself as Byron Kennedy, 29, a resident at Largo Medical Center in Largo, Florida.
Kennedy told Knight:
I was hesitant to give it back. I knew how much it meant to Tom, and I was willing to trade.
Byron Kennedy (dude who gave Brady's 600th ball back): "I was hesitant to give it back. I knew how much it meant to Tom and I was willing to trade." He was told he'll get some swag. #Bucs
CBS' Tracy Wolfson reported that it cost the Buccaneers another game ball and a signed jersey to get the ball back.
"[The Tampa Bay official] gave him another game ball and promised him some sort of signed jersey."
@tracywolfson discusses what it took to get Brady's 600th TD pass ball back from a fan 😂 https://t.co/TsWnPJ8WAe
According to Goldin, an "Unused signed jersey and autographed photo would be lacking by $497,500."
By giving up the ball, Kennedy showed that there are more important things than money, like kindness and being respectful to the quarterback, that changed the franchise from a common one into a winning machine.
Brady has to be mad with Tony Romo
While Kennedy demonstrated decency and kindness, people cannot say the same about former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS analyst Tony Romo.
When discussing what the Buccaneers should offer to Kennedy to get the ball back, Romo expressed all his sexism by stating that they should offer a date with the businesswoman, activist, model and, Brady's wife, Gisele Bündchen.
Hopefully, CBS will do something about Romo's remarks.