Timing is everything, which one unfortunate sports fan has learned the hard way. The ball that Tom Brady threw in what everyone presumed to be his final career touchdown pass has sold for over half a million dollars at an auction. The unlucky buyer picked up the ball less than 24 hours before the quarterback announced his return to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Leland’s hosted the auction on Sunday morning, and the final price of $518,628 arrived after 23 early bids. The auctioneer didn’t reveal the name of the seller or the winning bidder. The seller is likely the very fortunate fan sitting in the end zone when the Los Angeles Rams beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs in January.
The ball ended up at a private auction after Brady managed to pull off a 55-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Evans. At the time, Brady had not announced his retirement, so the brief significance of the ball was not known at the time by Evans. He tossed it into the stands where a lucky fan caught it in the end zone.
Leland’s labeled the item as “the final touchdown ball of Tom Brady’s career.” Leland’s referred to the item as “historic” and claimed that it was only through an incredible stroke of luck that private collectors had a chance to bid on such an important item.
Bidding for the ball started at $100,000, with some at the site predicting that the piece of sports memorabilia could fetch up to $1 million.
What happened next was a complete shocker. Hours after the auction, the quarterback tweeted: "I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I'm coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG."
Brady made a stunning career U-turn, announcing his return to the NFL to play for the Buccaneers once again. His retirement had only lasted six weeks. The winning bidder had just spent over half a million dollars on a ball that lacked any significance. The ball will likely lose most of its value.
The seller has walked away from the ordeal half a million dollars richer, while the buyer is presumably regretting their decision.