Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady became the first quarterback in the history of the NFL to throw 600 touchdown passes. The Buccaneers went on to dominate the Chicago Bears, 38-3, but the takeaway of the game was an incident that transpired between Mike Evans, Brady, and a fan.
With ten seconds left in the first quarter, Brady threw a nine-yard touchdown to Evans. Evans unknowingly jumped in the stands with the ball and gave the precious memorabilia to a fan. The ball boy and several people from the Buccaneers staff came over to retrieve the ball for the milestone Brady accomplished. Luckily, the fan willingly handed the ball over and was honored to give the ball back upon Brady’s request. However, this could have gone entirely left, creating an unnecessary controversy.
The fan who got Tom Brady's 600th TD ball ended up giving it back to the Bucs 😅
(via @NFLonCBS)pic.twitter.com/6rQxooCRjR
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 24, 2021
Again, Evans did so unknowingly and felt horrible after. He continuously apologized on Twitter and in the press conference as he explained what was going through his head. However, head coach Bruce Arians greeted Brady with a giant hug after the play along with his team.
“I said, ‘You’re gonna have to go give that guy two jerseys to get that ball back,'” Arians joked. I told him to either get two of Tom’s or two of yours, but you need to get the ball back for him. He asked if Tom really wants that ball, and I said, “I’m sure he does.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fan Does Brady a Solid
Luckily, a Bucs official was able to retrieve the ball unscathed and in return, they offered the fan an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“That was really cool. I got it in the bag over there,” Brady said. “Mike gave it away. He goes, ‘Man, I’m sorry, man. I’ll get it.’ I said, ‘It’s alright. I’m sure they’ll find a way to get it back.’ But I don’t actually keep too many things so … in that circumstance, I just felt like that might be a good one to keep.
He’ll receive a nice reward. We’ll get him a helmet or a few jerseys or other things. It was really kind of him to do that.
THE MAN OF THE HOUR@rachelwest__ caught up with Byron Kennedy, the fan who Mike Evans gave Tom Brady's 600th TD ball to ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/RysqEJ2mx0
— Sports by Tampa Bay Times (@TBTimes_Sports) October 24, 2021
A deal has been made, per @darrenrovell 🚨
The fan who had to give up Tom Brady's 600th TD ball will receive:
– 2 signed Tom Brady jerseys + a helmet
– A signed Mike Evans jersey + game cleats
– $1K credit at Bucs Team Shop
– 2 season tickets for rest of this season and next pic.twitter.com/xDeF5MNYZO— Front Office Sports (@FOS) October 25, 2021
Brady threw for four touchdown passes, completed 20 out of 36 passes, and had no interceptions. The team dominated the Bears and effortlessly advance to 6-1 on the season as they lead their division.
“I think of all the guys who are sharing it with me,” Brady said. “That’s the truth. There’s nothing in this sport that you do alone. It’s the ultimate team sport. It pushes you physically, mentally, and emotionally, every week, every practice. This is a sport that demands your full commitment.
“… It takes 100% of what you have every single day to be successful and I’m thankful for my incredible teammates and coaches. It’s a true blessing to be able to do what I love for such a long time.
The milestone has been noteworthy and will only add to Brady’s legacy, but another special moment Brady shared that same day was when he spotted a young boy in the stands. The boy he saw had a sign that read “Tom Brady helped me overcome brain cancer.” Brady being so touched placed his cap on his head and shook his hand. Out of joy, the young boy began to cry and bury his face in his hands.
♥️🙏
(Via @TomBrady) pic.twitter.com/w4qgPYqgfU
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 25, 2021
