Buccaneers' Tom Brady on Signing INT For Jets' Brandin Echols: 'That's the Last Time'

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIJanuary 5, 2022

New York Jets' Brandin Echols, center, intercepts a pass intended for Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Mike Evans, right, during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin)

AP Photo/Corey Sipkin

New York Jets cornerback Brandin Echols picked off Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady on Sunday. After the Bucs' 28-24 win, he got the seven-time Super Bowl champion to autograph the ball:

NFL Films @NFLFilms
Picked off the 🐐, and then got him to sign the ball 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/matayo_echols?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Matayo_Echols</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomBrady</a> <a href="https://t.co/8Gi3g0SHFp">pic.twitter.com/8Gi3g0SHFp</a>

Echols was rewarded for his assertiveness, but that appears to be the last time Brady will do anyone else such a favor.

He spoke with sportscaster Jim Gray on the Let's Go! podcast about it (h/t ESPN's Rich Cimini).

Rich Cimini @RichCimini
Tom Brady on signing Brandin Echols’ interception ball: Says Jets CB is “a nice guy,” but doesn’t like “signing mistakes … So that’s the last time I’m going to do that.” <br><br>That might add to the value of Echols’ momento. Via <a href="https://twitter.com/SIRIUSXM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SIRIUSXM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jets?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jets</a> <a href="https://t.co/KVKSWm7DGw">pic.twitter.com/KVKSWm7DGw</a>

The 24-year-old rookie has enjoyed a nice run of late. He got a pick-six against the Miami Dolphins two weeks ago and had five tackles in the Jets' 26-21 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Dec. 26.

That was all capped off by his pick of Brady, who got the last laugh as he led the Bucs on a 93-yard touchdown drive capped by his 33-yard throw to Cyril Grayson for the game-winning score.

Still, Echols got a pretty cool souvenir from the game, and what he did isn't a problem whatsoever with head coach Robert Saleh either:

Jets Videos @snyjets
Robert Saleh had no issue with Brandin Echols getting his interception ball autographed by Tom Brady after the game:<br><br>"He picked off Tom, that's a childhood dream" <a href="https://t.co/Pm1a1EJZe9">pic.twitter.com/Pm1a1EJZe9</a>

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The Jets will close their regular season at the Buffalo Bills. The playoff-bound Bucs will host the Carolina Panthers. Both games are on Sunday.