PHOTO: Bucs Fan Shows Off Gifts For Returning $500,000 Tom Brady Football

By Jason Hall

November 3, 2021

Chicago Bears v Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Photo: Getty Images

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan Byron Kennedy has received his "compensation" for returning the football thrown by Tom Brady during the legendary quarterback's 600th career touchdown pass.

Kennedy showed off three signed jerseys -- two of Brady's No. 12 and one of wide receiver Mike Evans, who caught and handed off the touchdown ball to him -- while speaking with FOX 13 News in Tampa this week.

During an appearance alongside former NFL rivals Peyton and Eli Manning on the ManningCast edition of Monday Night Football last month, the seven-time Super Bowl champion revealed he and the Bucs planned to send Kennedy memorabilia and free season tickets, as well as personally giving the fan a Bitcoin -- which is currently valued at $62,802.60 -- after it was reported that Kennedy was initially given far less compensation for the football, which was reportedly "worth $500,000 at minimum," according to Ken Goldin of Goldin Auctions via ESPN's Darren Rovell.

Longtime Patriots and Buccaneers teammate Rob Gronkowski and his friend, former WWE superstar Dean 'Mojo Rawley' Muhtadi, also donated $30,000 in cryptocurrency to Kennedy, according to TMZ.

"Had I kept it, I would've held onto the ball, that ball wasn't going to leave my house. So I never would've had $500,000 like everyone says," Kennedy told FOX 13 News. "I would've had a cool piece of memorabilia in my office – which I have now; I have a lot of it now."

The St. Pete doctor went from fan to infamous after handing back the historic ball, valued by some experts at $500,000. ...

Posted by FOX 13 News - Tampa Bay on Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Evans caught Brady's 600th touchdown pass in the first quarter of Tampa Bay's 38-3 win against the Chicago Bears last month and handed it to Kennedy in the stands, thinking it was just an ordinary six-point score.

Shortly after, a Buccaneers staffer was shown during the live CBS broadcast negotiating with the fan for the ball.

"I think I did the right thing," Kennedy told TMZ on October 27. "I'm happy Tom has it."

Brady confirmed the ball was in his bag during his postgame press conference after the misunderstanding took place.

Brady said Evans apologized for unknowingly giving the record ball away and confirmed the fan would "get something nice in return."

CBS cameras also caught the Pro Bowl wide receiver being told that the pass was Brady's 600th and mouthing "I gave it away" to a staffer on the Bucs' sideline.

Brady also confirmed his 600th touchdown pass would be auctioned on his NFT platform Autograph.

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