NFL star Shane Vereen had the game of his life to help the New England Patriots win Super Bowl XLIX.
And somehow Patriots legend Tom Brady knew that the running back would help lead the team to glory against the Seattle Seahawks.
Tom Brady hands the ball off to Shane Vereen in warmups prior to Super Bowl XLIXCredit: Getty
Vereen guided the Patriots to glory with a game-high 11 receptionsCredit: Getty
The running back recalls Brady’s premonition on the Up and Adams podcastCredit: Twitter/UpAndAdamsShow
Brady even relayed the vision to Vereen’s parents on the day before the Super Bowl, in which he recorded a game-high 11 catches for 64 yards.
“I didn’t know coming in that I would be used that much,” Vereen said on the Up and Adams podcast.
“I knew the game plan going in, I knew there would be an opportunity…
“The day before, when we take the Super Bowl picture, our families were there, Tom Brady actually walked up to my parents, gave them a hug and said hello and ‘Your son is going to have a big day tomorrow’.”
Vereen’s 11 receptions were the most by a running back in Super Bowl history.
He also tied Dan Ross, Jerry Rice, Deion Branch and Wes Welker for the second-most by any player in Super Bowl history, behind the 13 by Demaryius Thomas in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Vereen also caught the ball five times on the Patriots’ final drive, setting up Brady’s three-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Julian Edelman which put New England ahead for good.
“My parents didn’t say anything to me until after the game,” Vereen told Kay Adams.
“So [Brady] knew the game plan – and he should know – and I knew I was going to start but I just knew I needed to be where I needed to be because their defense was very very good.”
Vereen was selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft with the 56th overall pick.
The 34-year-old played in two Super Bowls with the Patriots, winning one, before moving to the New York Giants in 2015.
Vereen played three seasons for the Giants before retiring in 2018.