Senior quarterback
Jake Balanovich of
Cypress Bay (Weston, Fla.) outdueled NFL legend Tom Brady in a high-stakes passing competition hosted by YouTube megastar Mr. Beast. The event, which has amassed 78 million views as of Monday afternoon, saw the two signal callers face off in a battle of precision for a $100,000 prize.
The event featured a unique challenge to hit four balloons placed at distances ranging from 10 to 50 yards. Before the event began, Balanovich's teammates charged through Miami's Pitbull Stadium tunnel to cheer on their teammate.
Balanovich nailed his first two throws before missing on his third attempt. The competition came down to the final 50-yard target. Brady, known for coming up big when it matters most, nearly secured the win with two throws that narrowly missed their mark.
Balanovich's first 50-yard attempt fell just short, prompting an impressed Brady to say, "Jake, that was a great throw."
The decisive moment came on Balanovich's final throw, which landed short but took a friendly bounce into the balloon to secure the win. His teammates erupted in celebration and mobbed him as Brady looked on impressed before presenting him with the $100,000 in cash.
Balanovich's performance was a continuation of his strong season for Cypress Bay, which finished 6-4. In his first year as the school's starting quarterback, he completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,551 yards and 14 touchdowns. On the ground he added 853 rushing yards and 12 scores. In the season opener, he tallied six total touchdowns.
Brady also went 6-4 in his first year starting for
Junipero Serra (San Mateo, Calif.) as a junior in 1993. One of those wins was an epic 12-10 victory against a
Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose) squad featuring World Series champ Pat Burrell at quarterback.
Over two seasons as a starter, Brady passed for 3,514 yards and 33 touchdowns, setting the foundation for his Hall of Fame career.
