Tom Brady Stuns NFL World with Surprise Praise for Two Unsung Patriots Heroes After Jets Rout – And the Massive Rewards That Followed
Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, now a FOX Sports analyst and minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, rarely holds back when dissecting NFL games. But during his live post-game breakdown of the New England Patriots’ dominant 27-14 Thursday Night Football victory over the New York Jets, Brady did something completely unexpected: he bypassed the obvious stars—rookie sensation Drake Maye and veteran wideout Stefon Diggs—and instead showered special, heartfelt praise on two lesser-known players who, in his words, “defined the entire game.”
And he didn’t stop at words.
In a moment that instantly went viral across social media, Brady announced he was personally awarding two luxury, high-value gifts to these unsung heroes—gifts so extravagant that even the Patriots’ locker room fell silent in disbelief.
So who were the two players Brady honored? And what exactly did he give them?
The answers reveal not just Brady’s deep football IQ, but also his enduring loyalty to the franchise that made him a legend.
The first name Brady called out was Keion White, the third-year defensive end from Georgia Tech who has quietly emerged as one of the NFL’s most disruptive edge rushers in 2025.
While Jets quarterback Justin Fields scrambled for his life and Breece Hall managed just 3.8 yards per carry, it was White’s relentless pressure—three quarterback hits, one sack, and a forced fumble recovered by New England in the second quarter—that flipped momentum permanently in the Patriots’ favor.
Brady, watching from the broadcast booth, was visibly animated.
“People are going to talk about Henderson’s three touchdowns, and they should,” Brady said. “But go back and watch the tape—Keion White was the reason the Jets never got comfortable. He set the tone on the very first series. That strip-sack? That wasn’t luck. That was a grown man imposing his will. I’ve been in those trenches. I know what dominance looks like. Keion White is dominance.”
Then came the bombshell.
Brady reached under the desk and pulled out a sleek black box emblazoned with the TB12 logo.
“Keion, this is for you,” he declared. “A custom TB12 x Rolex Submariner—engraved on the back with ‘Silent Assassin – 11/13/25.’ You don’t need to talk. Your game does it for you. Wear it in health, brother.”
The camera cut to White in the locker room, eyes wide, teammates erupting around him. The watch? Retail value: over $45,000.
But Brady wasn’t done.
The second name drew even louder gasps from the studio panel.
Marcus Jones, the pint-sized cornerback and return specialist in his fourth NFL season, had been written off by many after an injury-plagued 2024. But on this rainy night in Foxborough, Jones reminded everyone why Bill Belichick once called him “the most electric player I’ve ever coached.”
His stat line didn’t scream superstar: 4 tackles, 1 pass deflection. But Brady saw what the box score missed.
“Watch the third quarter,” Brady urged viewers. “Jets are down 10, driving. Third-and-6. Fields rolls left—Marcus Jones comes flying in from the blind side, tips the pass, nearly picks it. Drive dies. Patriots score two plays later. That’s a seven-point swing because one guy refused to quit on a play 40 yards from the ball.”
Then Brady highlighted Jones’ work as a gunner on punt coverage: two tackles inside the 20, one forced fair catch that pinned the Jets at their own 8.
“Special teams wins championships,” Brady said, echoing his mentor Belichick. “And Marcus Jones is the best special teams player in football right now. Period.”
He then revealed the second gift: a fully customized, matte-black TB12 Edition Rivian R1T electric pickup truck—complete with Patriots red interior, Jones’ #33 stitched into the headrests, and a personalized license plate reading SPRKPLG.
Estimated value? $98,000.
Brady grinned: “You spark the team, Marcus. Now you’ve got the keys to match.”
Of course, the burning question on everyone’s mind: Why not Drake Maye or Stefon Diggs?
Maye threw for 220 yards and a touchdown. Diggs had 9 catches for 105 yards. Henderson scored three times.
Yet Brady was unwavering.
“Drake and Stefon are stars—they know it, we know it, the league knows it,” he said. “They’ll get their flowers every week. But football is won by the guys who do the dirty work. The ones who don’t get the highlights. Keion White and Marcus Jones didn’t just play well—they changed the game in ways stats don’t show. That’s Patriots football. That’s my football.”
He added a poignant note:
“I spent 20 years in that building. I know what it takes. These two? They’ve got it.”
The Patriots’ locker room erupted when the gifts were delivered post-game by TB12 staff.
Keion White, usually stoic, was seen shaking his head in disbelief as he turned the Rolex over to read the engraving. “Man… TB12 just gave me a Rolex?” he whispered to teammate Christian Gonzalez. “I’m framing this.”
Marcus Jones? He immediately hopped into the Rivian, revved the silent electric motor, and did a slow lap around the players’ parking lot while blasting “Sweet Caroline” from the premium sound system. Teammates followed on foot, phones out, cheering.
Even head coach Mike Vrabel, no stranger to tough love, cracked a rare smile.
“Tom knows ball,” Vrabel said. “He sees the game three steps ahead. Keion and Marcus earned this. Proud of them. Proud of this team.”
Analysts praised Brady’s gesture as a masterclass in leadership.
“This isn’t just generosity,” said ESPN’s Mina Kimes. “It’s culture-building. Brady is teaching a new generation what it means to be a Patriot—even from the broadcast booth.”
At 9-2, the Patriots are no longer a feel-good story—they’re a legitimate Super Bowl contender. And Brady’s public endorsement of the role players sends a clear message: this team is deeper, hungrier, and more connected than anyone expected.
As New England prepares for a showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12, two things are certain:
1. Keion White and Marcus Jones will play with extra fire—knowing the greatest winner in NFL history believes in them.
2. Tom Brady, even in retirement, still bleeds Patriots red, white, and blue.
And somewhere in Foxborough, a custom Rivian R1T with “SPRKPLG” on the plate is parked proudly—right next to a locker holding a Rolex that reads Silent Assassin.
