Over the past 50 years, fans of sports teams have seen a major rise in the collection of sports memorabilia, such as game-worn jerseys, pants, pads, helmets and cleats, as well as equipment and game balls. Often times, these items have sold for large sums of money in auctions to the most passionate fans.
In August 2022, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card became the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia, selling for an astonishing $12.6 million at auction. Since then, no piece of memorabilia has come close, with Steve Young's game-worn jersey in two Super Bowls selling for $1.2 million.
On Tuesday, another notable piece of memorabilia joined the list as the latest to sell for several thousands of dollars. Per TMZ Sports, the game-worn pants by Tom Brady in the Buccaneers' 14-31 playoff loss to the Cowboys on January 16, 2023, sold for $89,100 via Grey Flannel Auctions.
Someone bought Tom Brady's final game-used pants for a ridiculous amount of money
The pants, which signified Brady's final NFL game before announcing retirement, were well ahead of the minimum $10,000 and featured the date handwritten inside the waistband and the Bucs No. 12 tag.
While Brady and the Bucs lost by 17 to end the 2022 season, the seven-time Super Bowl champion went out with a bang in his final games in pads. Against Dallas' stout defense at the ripe age of 45, Brady completed 35-of-66 passes for 351 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, but was unable to match Dak Prescott's four touchdown passes on the other side.
Through 23 seasons in New England and Tampa Bay, Brady won an NFL-record seven Super Bowl titles, five Super Bowl MVPs, three league MVPs, and 15 Pro Bowl selections. To no surprise, Brady is widely considered the greatest player in the history of the NFL, giving his game-worn pants from his final game such immense value.
Since retiring, Brady has largely stayed out the NFL, but hasn't ruled out a return to the NFL as a player or as an owner ahead of the 2024 season. While it remains to be seen, the legacy of Brady continues even years after hanging up the cleats for the final time.