Mike Evans caught Tom Brady’s 600th, 601st and 602nd career touchdown passes. The Buccaneers receiver gave the footballs to fans in the stands as he routinely does.
Evans, though, didn’t realize his 9-yard touchdown catch from Brady was a milestone touchdown pass for Brady, who holds the NFL record.
Byron Kennedy, 29, was the fan who received the handoff from Evans on Brady’s 600th touchdown football, per Joey Knight of The Tampa Bay Times. Kennedy, a resident of internal medicine at Largo Medical Center, was wearing an Evans jersey on the front row of the end zone.
After scoring the touchdown, Evans initially dropped it in the end zone. Kennedy yelled, “Big Mike,” and Evans picked up the ball and handed it to Kennedy.
Evans appeared incredulous when a Bucs staffer told the receiver what he had done, and the Bucs quickly approached Kennedy about getting back the football.
“I was hesitant to give it back,” Kennedy told Knight.
Ken Goldin, founder of Goldin Auctions, indicated on Twitter the football might go for $500,000. The ball from Brady’s first touchdown pass, to Terry Glenn in an October 2001 game against the Chargers, went for $428,842 at a Lelands auction this summer.
Kennedy, though, traded Brady’s 600th touchdown ball for a different ball and more promised goodies from the Bucs.
“I knew how much it meant to Tom,” Kennedy said, “and I was willing to trade.”