Deflategate football sells at auction for crazy amount of money
You can buy a brand new football, the same type used in NFL games, online for $109. The NFL pays about $90 for each new football they purchase. But one of the questionable footballs in the now infamous Deflategate game just sold for a whopping $43,739.99.
IMAGES COURTESY: Lelands.com
Here’s the description from the Leland.com website:
The ball that will live in infamy. Actual game ball used in the AFC Championship Game played on Sunday January 18, 2015 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro Massachusetts.
This is the actual Touchdown Ball handed off by quarterback Tom Brady to LeGarrette Blount who ran it into the end zone for a touchdown. Blount dropped the ball while celebrating, where it was picked up by receiver Brandon LaFell who handed it to a fan in the stands.
The ball is being consigned by that very fan and her husband. In the words of our consignor (edited for brevity),
“We carried a white sign for the majority of the game, which read, “Can’t Beat the Pats” with “CBS” in red. We had our Patriots jerseys on the entire time — (myself wearing ) #12 Brady and (my wife Laura) #24 Revis. Near the end of the third quarter, Darrelle Revis intercepted Andrew Luck’s pass and returned it to the Colts 13.
On the very next play, Tom Brady handed off to LeGarrette Blount, who ran the ball in for a touchdown (2:14 remaining, 3rd quarter). As Blount exited the back of the end zone, directly in front of us, he dropped the ball behind him to go celebrate with the “Minutemen” who fire muskets off when the Patriots score.
Then, receiver Brandon LaFell walked up to the ball, picked it up, and handed it to us (specifically Laura, who was still holding up the CBS sign). We celebrated by jumping up and down, and taking multiple photos with the ball. We left the game midway through the fourth quarter to get out of the rain, and to ensure nothing happened to the game ball we had received.”
Detailed notarized letter explaining how the ball was obtained is included, along with Laura’s “Golden Ticket” stub. Photo of them posing with the ball directly after their good fortune handoff is shown here.
Ball is an Official NFL gamer featuring imprint of Roger Goodell’s facsimile signature and most importantly referee Walt Anderson’s initials in gold Sharpie. The ball also shows “PATRIOTS” faintly imprinted in black just below the seam under the NFL shield.
The historical importance of this piece cannot be understated. It is the most “topical” piece of sports memorabilia that we can recall ever being sold so close to the event itself.
