A Tom Brady fan shelled out $555,988 for the veteran quarterback’s autographed rookie football card that was auctioned on eBay. According to Eric Levenson of CNN, the rare 2000 Playoff Contenders card, listed by PWCC Market, is PSA Gem Mint 10, meaning it is virtually perfect condition. Levenson said the name of the bidder was not made available because his identity on eBay is private. Brady was drafted 199th overall by the New England Patriots in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played for the Patriots for two decades, winning six Super Bowl titles before he signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the offseason.

The sale happened on Jan. 25, or one day after Brady led the Buccaneers to a 31-26 win over the Green Bay Packers for a spot in Super Bowl LV. This is the 10th time that Brady will play for the Lombardi Trophy. Levenson also reported that the rookie card of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James sold for $1.845 million last year while a baseball card of Honus Wagner from a century ago recently sold for $3.25 million.

LeBron James speaks about Brady’s 10th Super Bowl appearance

Speaking of LeBron, the Lakers superstar was asked following their close win over the Boston Celtics regarding Brady’s 10th Super Bowl appearance. “At our age, we can still dominate our sport,” James said of the 43-year-old Brady, adding they share a common goal and that is to win at the highest level.

Like Brady, the 36-year-old James continues to dominate the NBA as he led the Lakers to the title last season, partly due to his special diets and workouts that cost him $1.5 million. Brady, for his part, owes his longevity to the TB12 Method that he created that takes a holistic approach to health and wellness.

In the regular season, Brady threw for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns with 12 interceptions as the Buccaneers finished with an 11-5 mark, a significant improvement from their 7-9 finish last season.

James, for his part, is averaging 25.2 points and 7.5 rebounds this season for the Lakers.

Gilmore reacts to Brady’s success with Buccaneers

After Brady reached his 10th Super Bowl, several of his Patriots teammates lauded his accomplishment, including cornerback Stephon Gilmore. The Pro Bowl cornerback also tackled Brady’s success with the Buccaneers during ESPN’s broadcast of the “2021 Pro Bowl Celebration”, per Adam London of New England Sports Network (NESN).

“I’m happy for him. That’s what he plays for. He plays for rings. He doesn’t play for anything else. That’s what he does,” said Gilmore, who won one Super Bowl ring with Brady. Gilmore added that he’s happy to be given an opportunity to play with Brady, saying the veteran quarterback taught him a lot about the game and to be a professional.