A Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan is trying to drive a hard bargain with superstar quarterback Tom Brady in return for giving a historic ball back.
Reigning NFL champions the Buccaneers beat the Chicago Bears 38-3 at the Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
One fan, Byron Kennedy, had the best seat in the house.
When wide receiver Mike Evans scored a touchdown in the first quarter, Kennedy found himself being handed the ball to take home.
However, it turned out that this wasn’t just any old ball. It was, in fact, the 600th touchdown ball of Tom Brady’s career – another landmark for the seven-time Super Bowl champion.
Evans looked a little bit embarrassed when he realised what he had just done.
A Buccaneers trainer had to then negotiate with Kennedy to ask him to give the ball back.
Speaking to press afterwards, Kennedy described how it went down.
“Giving it up was tough,” he said, adding: “The trainer came over and asked for it. But what am I going to do? Say no to Tom Brady?”
It doesn’t look like Kennedy walked away entirely empty-handed, however.
Brady himself told press that it was “pretty cool” for Kennedy to hand the ball back and promised he would get something in return.
One journalist has detailed what he says Kennedy received, including: two signed shirts and a helmet from Brady himself, a signed jersey from Mike Evans, $1,000 to spend in the team shop and two season tickets for this season and next.
Not a bad haul.
Kennedy has also since told NFL journalist Andrew Siciliano that he has one further request.
“A round of golf with Tom, as a repayment,” he said, adding: “I think that would be pretty cool.”
Let’s see if it comes through for him.
