On Dec. 21, the GOAT let loose his frustrations on the sideline by chucking a Microsoft tablet. In the days that followed, the tech giant’s stock has put up MVP numbers.
Tom Brady can make all the throws. It is known. But in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints, TB12 put forth his least-productive game of the season by a wide margin, helping his Tampa Bay Buccaneers to exactly zero points in a loss that delayed the defending champs’ plans to clinch the NFC South by an additional, odious week.
But there was one throw in that maddening 9-0 loss on Dec. 21 that proved to have a significant impact — one that extended far beyond the football field.
TB12 tossed a Microsoft tablet in a huff of sideline frustration.
What’s happened since then? Well, the Bucs turned around and thumped the Carolina Panthers to seal another division title, which is pretty cool.
But what’s especially intriguing? What’s happened to the tech giant’s stock since Brady threw that Surface tablet.
Microsoft Stock ($MSFT) and Tom Brady’s Tablet Throw
The day before, Dec. 20: $319.91
The day of, Dec. 21: $327.29
At market close Dec. 23: $334.69
At market close Dec. 28: $341.25
At market open Dec. 30: $342.07
Compared to the $327.29 price on game day — Dec. 21 — that’s a 4.27% increase in Microsoft’s stock price in the week that followed the game, and a 4.52% increase by the time the opening bell rang on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Thursday morning, Dec. 30.
Compared to the $319.29 share price on Dec. 20, the day before the tablet toss, we’re looking at a leap of 6.67% in a week and a half.
Considering that Microsoft’s stock is up barely 3% in the past month on balance and just over 25% over the past six months, this sort of growth in a matter of days is worth appreciating.
Does this mean that Brady’s tablet toss is “the” reason that $MSFT has experienced this nice year-end bump? No. But given TB12’s influential place in the cosmic order of things as far as both sports and industry are concerned, it’s a bit too curious to ignore.
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