Tom Brady's 600th TD Ball Back With Team After Initially Being Given to Fan

Brady's 600th TD ball negotiated away from fan by Bucs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Tom Brady became the first player in NFL history to throw for 600 touchdown passes in the regular season Sunday, when he connected with Mike Evans from 9 yards out to give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a 21-0 lead over the Chicago Bears.

While there's little drama for the Bucs as they bully the Bears, the fate of the ball Brady threw took an interesting route back to the Tampa Bay sideline.

Evans gave the ball to a Buccaneers fan at Raymond James Stadium, perhaps unaware of the piece of history he'd just come down with.

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The Buccaneers quickly sent staffers to intervene, getting the ball back from the fan with relative ease.

Byron Kennedy -- who gave back the Brady TD ball -- said a Bucs official told him "Tom Brady really wants that 600 ball back. Could you please give it back?" Said he really wanted to keep it, but didn't even negotiate -- he got another game ball and has more goodies coming.

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) October 24, 2021

While CBS broadcasters Jim Nantz and Tony Romo believed it was a terrible deal for the fan, sports business reporter Darren Rovell put the swap into monetary terms.

A Brady signed jersey can be bought for $3,500.

Ball worth $500,000+.

When this game ends, ethics will prevail. Bucs need to do more here. https://t.co/gMApyEe2RO

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) October 24, 2021

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

So what else could the fan possibly get that might approach $500,000 in value?

Not much, but Rovell laid out his compensation plan in a follow-up tweet:

The deal should be:

Game-used jersey of a player who caught a touchdown in the game.

Postgame meet & greet with Brady.

Pictures from professional team photographer.

Autographed game ball from game. https://t.co/IMBsOAaq56

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) October 24, 2021

That's still probably not anywhere close to approaching the value of the ball, but at least the fan will be able to remain in Brady's good graces. There's always his 700th touchdown pass.

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