On Sunday, the New York Jets went head to head against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Following the game, Tom Brady was asked a very special request from New York’s rookie cornerback, Brandin Echols.
Most people know that as a defensive player, making an interception is a big deal. But what is perhaps more impressive, is if you intercept the ball from legendary NFL player, Tom Brady.
New York Jets rookie cornerback, Brandin Echols is now a part of the rare club of players who have intercepted a pass thrown from the 7 time Super Bowl champion.
Despite losing to the Bucs 28-24, Echols still made sure to get a win out of the whole ordeal: getting the 44-year-old athletic legend to sign the football that was intercepted. Being the class act that he is, Brady did not hesitate and signed his opponent’s game ball.
“The reality is, the NFL is a brotherhood,” New York Jets coach Robert Saleh said after the game. He elaborated and expressed that he was not upset over his cornerback’s action and rather, he understands why Echols did what he did.
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Robert Saleh has ‘no problem’ with Brandin Echols asking Tom Brady to sign intercepted ball
“These guys all know each other. They talk to each other on the phone, they call each other, they work out with one another,” Saleh continued. “This is a huge fraternity of brothers and they just spent four hours going at it on the football field, they spent all week prepping on how they’re just going to absolutely embarrass one another, and so at the end of the game, the jersey exchanges, those conversations that they’re having, that is a very cool, genuine moment that’s happening between players.”
Saleh even thought that the entire interaction was delightful. “I don’t care what anyone says – he picked off Tom. Like that’s a childhood dream,” he explained.
“For Tom to humor him with the autograph and to do that for him, I think is pretty cool on his part,” the head coach included. He went on to share, “I have no problem with it, not at all, because I know what those guys go through, and trust me, Echols cares that we lost and he cares that Tom had a hell of a game. But to be able to pick off a guy like Tom Brady — how many guys can say that, right?”
