EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Logan Ryan's focus is definitely on the Giants' game Sunday in New Orleans, but he also has an interest in the NFL's biggest game this week: the New England Patriots on Sunday night hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady, the quarterback who led them to six Super Bowl victories.
Ryan played his first four NFL seasons (2013-16) for New England and remains a friend of Brady's – though that did not preclude him from intercepting the future Pro Football Hall of Famer's final pass for the Patriots.
"I'm excited to get a win and get home and watch that game," Ryan said today. "I'm going to be tuned in. If you're a fan of football, that's a fun game to watch just because of the significance of it. I've obviously played with him. I've played against him. I always said it's the best matchup in the world. If you're a football junkie like me and you want to play against the best, he's the best. So, it's going to be fun.
"I know for him and (Patriots coach) Bill (Belichick), I'm sure they're going to – I can't say they're going to treat it as business as usual, but they're going to do everything they can to win, like a maniacal amount of film-watching going down. I'm sure they're spending more time watching film than sleeping. I'm excited to watch. It's going to be a game against two geniuses. If you're a fan of the game, it's a good game to watch and learn to see the strategic part of the game."
After stepping off the podium, Ryan told reporters he expects Tampa Bay to win the game.
On Jan. 4, 2020, Ryan's Tennessee Titans visited New England for an AFC Wild Card Game. Trailing by one point, the Patriots took possession at their one-yard line with 15 seconds remaining, a near-impossible situation. Ryan delivered the final blow, picking off Brady's desperation pass and returning it nine yards for the only touchdown in the second half of the Titan's 20-14 victory.
Ryan said today he still possesses that ball.
"It's funny," he said. "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. When I saw Tom starting to – some of his autographed cards going for like a million dollars, I was like, 'Let's put the ball up on the shelf at least.'
"So, the ball is up on the shelf and I actually spoke with Tom this offseason and when the time is right, I probably should have it ready for this game, but I want to auction the ball off for some of the proceeds for my charity (The Ryan Animal Rescue Foundation) if we can get behind it and split our charities and try to do something. Now, I don't know who is going to want that ball. 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 fanbase, the media market, you know? So, I don't know where it's going to go."
How about Brady taking it?
"Yeah, Tom might want it back," Ryan said, laughing. "Tom might pay to get rid of it to burn it. No, there have been talks between me and Tom on doing something with that ball. Hey man, it might go down in his Hall of Fame thing. Maybe I'll get a little asterisk by who his last pass – or maybe it's a 'Jeopardy!' question when Aaron Rodgers is hosting it. 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."
View photos from the all-time series between the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints.
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