Cornerback Logan Ryan, rear, celebrates after intercepting Tom Brady’s last pass as a Patriot and returning it for a touchdown in the Titans’ 20-13 playoff win on Jan. 4, 2020. Elise Amendola/Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — If you’re a “Jeopardy!” fan, don’t be surprised if some day there’s a football category and the $2,000 question is:
Who intercepted Tom Brady’s last pass as a New England Patriot?
Imagine the music in the background: “DEE, dee dee dee dee, dee dee dee. … Deet dee dee dee dee …
And your answer?
How about current New York Giants defensive back Logan Ryan, who made the pick-six in the closing seconds of the Tennessee Titans’ 20-13 win over New England in the opening round of the playoffs on Jan. 4, 2020.
Ryan still has the ball in his home, and he talked about the play Friday with Brady returning to Massachusetts to face Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots for the first time since leaving. Brady signed with the Buccaneers for the 2020 season and took them to a Super Bowl title.
“It’s funny,” Ryan said after the Giants (0-3) finished practice for Sunday’s game at New Orleans (2-1). “The ball was just laying around my house because I don’t really do a lot with my stuff, like I’m not egotistical and have just portraits of me all over the place in my house … so my kids, like, kick the ball around.”
Ryan then laughed and noted his care for the ball was altered when he saw one of Brady’s autographed cards “going for like a million dollars.”
“I was like, ‘Let’s put the ball up on the shelf at least,’ ” he said. “So, the ball is up on the shelf.”
Ryan and Brady spent four seasons together on the Patriots and won two Super Bowls. Brady has now won seven, including last year’s one-sided win over the Chiefs.
Ryan spoke to Brady during the recent offseason and suggested they auction off the ball. The proceeds would be split by their charities.
“Now, I don’t know who is going to want that ball,” Ryan said. “I don’t know if a Patriots fan wants his last ball ever thrown is an interception. I don’t know if a Titans fan is really going to pay. Like I don’t know what the Titans fan base, the media market, you know? So, I don’t know where it’s going to go.”
Ryan started laughing when asked if Brady might want the ball back.
“Tom might pay to get rid of it, to burn it,” Ryan said.
Ryan quipped the ball might go to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and then he could be a little asterisk on the plaque.
“Maybe it’s a ‘Jeopardy!’ question when (Packers quarterback) Aaron Rodgers is hosting it,” Ryan added. “It can be a ‘Jeopardy!’ question. It’s pretty fun, but yeah, I picked the ball up off the floor and I’m going to try to do something to raise some money for charity with it.”
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