Fan Gives Back Tom Brady's 400th TD Football, Earns Meet and Greet with QB

Danny Amendola fudged up, guys.

The New England Patriots' resident grit farmer did a good thing in catching a second-quarter touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Unfortunately, he then did an excitable thing and handed the ball off to a man in the stands—typically not a big deal, except this ball happened to be the one that earned Tom Brady his key to the NFL's 400-touchdown club. 

But as the Boston Herald's Owen Boss reported, the ball has been recovered thanks to a Patriots fan named David Bowen, who wanted Brady to take home the—undoubtedly valuable—milestone marker.

As Boss told it, Bowen was approached by a Patriots ball boy soon after receiving the ball from Amendola. The offer was a swap: the touchdown ball for another game ball of lesser value but identical air pressure.

"I said, 'Sure, no problem,'" Bowen said, recalling the request. "And they just gave me another one."

As it happens, the ball was just a portion of a greater trade-off.

In addition to the ball, the Patriots served up a meet and greet between Bowen and Brady at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday. Pictures were taken and memorabilia was signed. Ugg cleaning tips were also exchanged (probably).

"[Brady] signed some stuff for me and thanked me for returning the ball," Bowen said. "I got to congratulate an icon on this amazing accomplishment and what he's done. It was great."

As for the 400th touchdown ball, the Patriots have enshrined it in the Hall at Patriot Place. You can go there and see the ball and be like, "Damn, Amendola. You almost messed this up for us."

Just kidding, Danny. Stay golden.

Dan is on Twitter. He would've pulled the ol' switcheroo. You know what he's talking about.