Tom Brady’s ‘last’ touchdown ball sold for $518,000 – before his retirement U-turn

Whoever bought legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady’s “last touchdown ball” may now be having severe misgivings.

It sold over the weekend, via auctioneers Lelands, for $518,000 (£397,000).

Bids started at $100,000 (£76,000) and a price of up to $1m (£765,000) was being predicted.

Brady threw it 55 yards to wide receiver Mike Evans while playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Los Angeles Rams in January.

Evans then threw the ball into the stands and a fan caught it.

Now, though, Brady has reversed his decision to retire – made early last month – and so it might not be his final ball anymore.

Read more: Tom Brady backtracks on retirement and confirms return to Tampa Bay Buccaneers next season

Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl winner, tweeted that he had realised his “place is still on the field and not in the stands”.

The time to retire “will come” but “it’s not now”, he added.

He wrote: “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.”

Brady, 44, was at Old Trafford on Saturday to see Manchester United beat Tottenham 3-2 in the Premier League.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick for the home side, was seen on the pitch with Brady afterwards, along with the rest of the team.

Brady tweeted a series of pictures, including one of a meeting with former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.